Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

Oxford Prep Holds ‘Drive-In’ Commencement Ceremony for Class of 2020

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-Information and photos courtesy Oxford Preparatory School

Oxford Preparatory School (OPS) held a “Drive-In” Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 23, 2020, at 2 p.m. in celebration of the school’s 45 graduates.

OPS candidates for graduation, led by marshals McKayla Boyd, Bryce Garrett, Carla Rodriguez, Zach Biggs, Molly Thrift, Alex Rote, Caitlyn Williams and Nick Ellis, made their way past the vehicle of every family who came to honor the graduates as “Pomp & Circumstance,” played loudly through car radios.

OPS Executive Director Andrew Swanner welcomed seniors and their families to the commencement ceremony. 

Graduates included:

Wesley Chen Aitken, Ey’Mania Alston, Charles Ethan Ayscue, Lori M. Blanks, Rorie Samantha Brewer, Michelle Carlos-Tejada, Shannon Marie Edmondson, Lillian Marie Everly, Daniel Peter Gillis, Claire Noel Gordon, Emanuel Randy Gutierrez, Lindsey Grace Haley, Evelyn Kate Hann, Benjamin Thomas Hester, Maci Anna-Blake Hawks, Ashton Holloway, Robert Mark Hopper, Ridge Newell Huff, Emily Rose Iannuzzi, Jack Christopher Iglesias, Jordan Danielle Jones, Mackenzie Michelle Macon, Abbie Lee Mann, Nathan Robert Metcalf, Sophia Jean Metcalf, Kamarion Emmanuel Moore, Joel Parker Murray, Morgan Alexandria Nance, Emily Nicole Osborne, Alyssa Cameron Parker, Krystal Dawn Parrish, Alexandria Grace Reeder, Ashleigh Laureen Sarvis, Robert Hampton Short, Alexis Nicole Simmons, Ian Somod Simmons, Alexander Mitchell Slack, Catherine Elizabeth Slack, Sarah Jane Slack, Kaitlyn Diane Spain, Matthew Walter Spiers, Kathryn Marie Stock, Kayla Paige Tippett, Travis Alexander Wallace and Macy Cole Watson.

Summa cum laude graduates who maintained a four-year GPA greater than 4.5 were Wes Aitken, Ey’Mania Alston, Robert Hopper, Emily Iannuzzi, Abbie Mann, Nathan Metcalf, Sophia Metcalf, Kamarion Moore and Alexis Simmons.

In addition to the nine summa cum laude graduates, Lindsey Haley, Claire Gordon and Ian Simmons were honored as magna cum laude graduates for maintaining a GPA between 4.0 and 4.49.

Seniors Emily Osborne and Ashton Holloway were named cum laude graduates for maintaining a GPA between 3.75 and 3.99. 

98% of the students received acceptance to a four-year college and were offered more than $5.7 million in scholarships. 72% of seniors obtained some college credit hours, eight completed the CCP pathway with a minimum of 32 credit hours and one student earned a full AS degree.

 

 

 

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Local COVID-19 Report: 31 Deaths Reported in Granville, Vance Health District

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-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

As of May 26, 2020, there are 258 known COVID-19 cases in Granville County, 243 cases in Vance County, and 24,140 confirmed cases in North Carolina.

There are three outbreaks at congregate living facilities in the district – one at Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, NC, one at Pelican Health in Henderson, NC, and one at Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Henderson, NC.

Of the total positive cases in each county, 119 in Granville County are associated with the prisons, 45 in Vance County are associated with Pelican Health nursing home, and 22 are associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home.

Of the 139 community-based cases in Granville County, 57 have been released from isolation and 4 are hospitalized.

Of the 119 cases in the prison system, 63 have been released from isolation.

Of the 243 cases in Vance, 98 have been released from isolation and 12 are currently hospitalized.

There have been a total of 31 deaths in the health district – 20 in Vance County and 11 with the Bureau of Prisons in Granville County.

GVPH updates its website daily with Vance and Granville COVID-19 statistics. Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information.

GCPS Surpasses Quarter Million Meals Served to Children During Pandemic

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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools

Monday, March 16, 2020 marked the first day Governor Cooper ordered all public schools to be closed in our state due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the nearly 70 days since that time, Granville County Public Schools has delivered innovative and flexible services to meet the needs of our community.

We are proud to announce that this past week, the district surpassed the quarter-million meal count, and has now served 292,814 total meals to the children in Granville County during the pandemic. These high-quality, nutritional meals include many of the same items served in our regular school-based menus, including things like fresh fruit, vegetables, yogurt, cheese sticks, breakfast bars, sandwiches, pizza, nachos, and of course, our beloved tater tots! Plenty of fruit juice and fresh milk help round out each meal served, with the occasional cookie as a treat for our children.

Patricia Crute, Child Nutrition Director, Granville County Public Schools (Photo courtesy GCPS)

The district’s meal service has shifted to meet demand and to minimize the risk to staff and volunteers, and in recent weeks has ramped up production to provide more than 40,000 meals a week.

Currently, the district provides drive-up service at 26 sites, and door-to-door delivery to the homes of disabled and medically fragile children. It is important to note that service is provided to ALL children aged 2-18 who request meals, regardless of which school they might attend. Students enrolled in charters, private schools or who are homeschooled are welcomed with open arms to any meal service site. Our goal is for no child in our community to be hungry while school is not physically in session.

Leading this effort across the county is Child Nutrition Director, Patricia Crute. A native of Granville County and veteran GCPS employee of 29 years, Ms. Crute offered her thoughts on the program thus far, stating, “Child nutrition has always been my passion. Being able to provide meals to our children during this time is what I feel I am supposed to do. I love knowing that my staff and I, with the help of all of the volunteers and the staff from our Transportation and Maintenance departments, are making a difference in the lives of our children.”

Superintendent Dr. Alisa McLean offered her perspective on the effort, sharing, “I could not be prouder of our team. While we couldn’t control the challenges brought on by this pandemic, we can control how we respond and continue to meet our children’s needs. I am truly grateful to the hard-working and dedicated staff in our Child Nutrition, Transportation, and Maintenance Departments, as well as our Teacher Assistants, Custodians and all of the other employees who have helped make this meal service possible. I also want to send a special ‘Thank You’ out to the countless volunteers who have also been on the front lines with us in helping make sure our children do not go hungry. We truly are blessed in this community for how we all join together in taking care of our children and making their welfare the top priority.”

The current meal service will continue through the end of the regular school year. The last day for drive-thru and delivery will be provided on Tuesday, June 2, 2020.

A modified summer feeding program is currently being planned to help meet the nutritional needs of children while school is not in session. Details about that program will be provided to families soon.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Local COVID-19 Report; NC Moves to Phase 2 of Lifting Restrictions

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-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health and Brian Short, director of H-V Emergency Management

As of May 21, 2020, there are 222 known COVID -19 cases in Granville County, 194 cases in Vance County, and 20,860 confirmed cases in North Carolina.

There are three outbreaks at congregate living facilities in the district – one at Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, NC, one at Pelican Health in Henderson, NC, and one at Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Henderson, NC.

Of the total positive cases in each county, 99 in Granville County are associated with the prisons, 45 in Vance County are associated with Pelican Health nursing home, and 18 are associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home.

Of the 123 community-based cases in Granville County, 54 have been released from isolation and five are hospitalized.

Of the 99 cases in the prison system, 67 have been released from isolation.

Of the 194 cases in Vance County, 75 have been released from isolation and 11 are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 26 deaths in the health district – 19 in Vance County and seven with the Bureau of Prisons in Granville County.

GVPH updates its website daily with Vance and Granville COVID-19 statistics. Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information.

In state news, Governor Cooper and DHHS Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen issued Executive Order 141 announcing that North Carolina will move into “Safer At Home” Phase 2 of lifting COVID-19 restrictions today, Friday, May 22, 2020, at 5 p.m.

Phase 2 lifts the Stay At Home order moving into a Safer At Home recommendation, especially for people at high risk for serious illness. Teleworking is also urged when possible.

Mass gathering limits in Phase 2 will be no more than 10 people indoors or 25 people outdoors in most circumstances. These limits apply to the following: event venues; conference centers; stadiums and sports arenas; amphitheaters; and groups at parks or beaches.

Some businesses will remain closed in Phase 2 including bars, night clubs, gyms and indoor fitness facilities and indoor entertainment venues such as movie theaters and bowling alleys.

Certain businesses will be open at limited capacity with other requirements and recommendations, including restaurants at 50% dine-in capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; personal care businesses, including salons and barbers, at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements; pools at 50% capacity with distancing and cleaning requirements.

Childcare facilities, day camps and overnight camps will be open with enhanced cleaning and screening requirements.

Retail businesses allowed to open in Phase 1 at 50% capacity will continue at that level.

Public health recommendations are provided for worship services to practice enhanced social distancing and other cleaning and hygiene practices.

The Safer At Home Phase 2 runs through at least Friday, June 26, 2020.

U.S. Department of Justice

Butner Inmate Sentenced for Possession of Narcotics at Federal Prison

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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

A federal inmate incarcerated at the Federal Correctional Complex in Butner was sentenced to 12 months in prison and an additional two-year term of supervised release for possession of the opiate buprenorphine, a Schedule III narcotic commonly referred to by the brand name Suboxone.

The 12-month term of imprisonment is in addition to, and consecutive to, his current term of imprisonment, and the two-year term of supervised release is in addition to and consecutive to his 3-year term of supervised release on his current sentence.

According to court documents, while Aaron Trujillo, 57, was serving a federal sentence for multiple bank robbery convictions, he was found in possession of multiple sublingual film strips containing buprenorphine. The Bureau of Prisons’ investigation also revealed a large cache of stamps and a debt ledger suggesting that he was involved in the sale and distribution of buprenorphine for several months.

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina made the announcement after sentencing by Chief U.S. District Judge Terrence W. Boyle. Bureau of Prisons Special Investigative Agents investigated the case and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael Bredenberg prosecuted the case.

NC MedAssist

NC MedAssist to Hold Free Granville Drive-Thru Pharmacy Event

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-Press Release, NC MedAssist

NC MedAssist is holding a Mobile Free Pharmacy Event in Granville County, NC on Friday, June 19, 2020. The event, which is in collaboration with Triangle North Healthcare Foundation, is open to any individual or family needing over-the-counter medications.

The event will be held from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at the Granville County Expo & Convention Center located at 4185 US-15 South, Oxford, NC. Participants must be at least 18 years old to receive medication. No identification is required.

Unlike previous Mobile Free Pharmacy events, this one will be held as a drive-thru service only. Participants are highly encouraged to order their over-the-counter medicine online at https://bit.ly/Granville (click here).

“We have completely revamped our Giveaway Day in order to keep our participants, volunteers, and staff as safe as possible,” said Misty Moore, Senior Development Director at NC MedAssist. “We came together with Triangle North Healthcare Foundation and identified such a need in the community. With so many restrictions in place, we had to take a look at how we can still provide this service while keeping everyone safe and healthy.”

The Mobile Free Pharmacy events have served upwards of 800 people, at times. In order to comply with local recommended guidelines, all participants will remain in their vehicles while volunteers retrieve their medicine. For those individuals unable to register online, volunteers will be available to complete registration forms for each person, limiting touchpoints.

“Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is pleased to partner with NC MedAssist on the Mobile Free Pharmacy event,” said Foundation Director Val Short. “The event is expected to have a huge impact on the community, especially during such difficult times. Triangle North Healthcare Foundation values the work of NC MedAssist in our communities on behalf of those who are vulnerable and don’t have access to healthcare. We hope to educate participants on the healthcare resources available in Granville and surrounding counties.”

At the event, information will also be available about enrolling in the NC MedAssist Free Pharmacy Program, which mails free prescription medications directly to a patient’s home. NC MedAssist’s overall goal is to help ease the burden for those in need; it is aiding people who are making the choice between buying food and purchasing life-saving medication. Over the last fiscal year, NC MedAssist distributed over $63 million in free prescription and over-the-counter medication statewide. Of course, this would not be possible without the numerous, dedicated volunteers.

NC MedAssist is a statewide non-profit pharmacy, founded in 1997. The organization provides free prescription medication to low-income, uninsured North Carolinians. NC MedAssist offers three programs that address the needs of children and adults: the Free Pharmacy Program, the Mobile Free Pharmacy Program, and the Transitional Job Program.

Learn more about NC MedAssist right now at www.medassist.org. You can also visit their Facebook and Twitter pages, or contact them to find out how you can help.

NC Dept of Agriculture

NCDA&CS Soils Lab Now Accepting Predictive Samples 

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-Press Release, NC Cooperative Extension, Granville County Center

The soil testing lab at the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has announced that the lab is again accepting predictive soil samples on a limited basis. Farmers, gardeners and homeowners are now able to submit soil samples for analysis. There currently is no charge for this service.

“We are very happy to be able to get soil analysis results to work with,” said Paul Westfall, County Extension Director. “We can once again make fertility recommendations tailored to the soil conditions and use. In other words, growers can add the right amount of lime and/or fertilizer and avoid under or over fertilizing.” 

Plant growth is delayed by under-fertilization, and over-fertilization leads to wasted nutrients and money and can impact water quality.

Sample kits are available at the Granville County Center of NC Cooperative Extension. Kits can be picked up from a table located in the foyer area of the front door, and samples to be submitted can be left on the same table. Information sheets are available and should accompany each sample submitted. Each sample should be identified in a way that the landowner will remember. Crop information is key to getting a good recommendation. If growers have questions about completing the information sheet, they should contact the Granville County Extension Center.

“Since the lab is operating under reduced hours and reduced staff in compliance with safety recommendations, it will take a bit longer than usual to get test results,” Westfall added. “We have already submitted a few samples, and the results were returned in about three weeks. That’s not too bad.”

For more information on soil samples and soil fertility, contact the Granville County Extension Center at (919) 603-1350, or contact Westfall by email at  paul_westfall@ncsu.edu.

Granville Co. Public Schools Expands Free WiFi Coverage

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-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools is excited to announce the expansion of free WiFi coverage in its communities.

In addition to all public school campuses providing free WiFi in the parking lot, six school buses with FREE mobile WiFi hot spots have also been positioned throughout the county. These locations include the Berea Fire Department, the Oxford Housing Authority, the Granville Expo Center, the Brassfield Fire Department, Creedmoor City Hall and the Breda Lane neighborhood in Butner.

Information on how to log-on is posted near each school bus. The internet service is available within approximately 100 feet of each bus.

GCPS is proud to partner with AT&T and Duke Energy to provide this service through the end of the school year. For additional information, please be sure to check the GCPS district website.

Granville County Chamber of Commerce

Granville Chamber of Commerce Warns of Gift Card Scam

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-Information courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce

The Granville County Chamber of Commerce has been made aware that scam emails that appear to be from Chamber representatives are being sent to community members. These emails request that the recipient purchase gift cards for a specified agency, take pictures of the gift card’s PIN and send the pictures back to the sender, which appears to be the Chamber.

This is a very typical cyber phishing attempt and these emails are not being sent from the Chamber or any Chamber representative.

The Chamber asks that this be a reminder to us all to be wary of anyone (including friends) who seem to be asking for gift cards, account codes or prepaid cards for any purpose.

The Granville County Chamber of Commerce apologizes for this scam email and any inconvenience it may have caused.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

COVID-19 Update: 23 Deaths in Granville, Vance Health District

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-Information courtesy Granville Vance Public Health

As of May 17, 2020, there are 194 known cases of COVID-19 in Granville County, 177 cases in Vance County, and 18,512 confirmed cases in North Carolina.

There are three outbreaks at congregate living facilities in the district – one at Federal Correctional Complex in Butner, NC, one at Pelican Health in Henderson, NC, and one at Kerr Lake Nursing Home in Henderson, NC.

Of the total positive cases in each county, 98 in Granville County are associated with the prisons, 46 in Vance County are associated with Pelican Health nursing home, and 17 are associated with Kerr Lake Nursing Home.

Of the 96 community-based cases in Granville County, 48 have been released from isolation and one is hospitalized.

Of the 98 cases in the prison system, 66 have been released from isolation.

Of the 177 cases in Vance, 48 have been released from isolation and 13 are hospitalized.

There have been a total of 23 deaths in the health district – 17 in Vance County and 6 with the Bureau of Prisons in Granville County.

GVPH updates its website daily with Vance and Granville COVID-19 statistics. Please visit www.gvph.org/COVID-19/ for the latest information.