Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

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Mark Your Calendars: Granville Co. Activities Feb. 17 – March 2

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Granville County Government

Mark your calendars for the following Granville County activities:

YOU’RE NEVER TOO OLD FOR YOUNG ADULT NOVELS. The Young Adult (YA) Book Club for ages 18 and up will meet at the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 17. The featured book for discussion is “Everlife” by Gena Showalter. Limited copies of the book are available at the library and can be reserved. Contact Stefani Perry, Adult Services Librarian, at 919-693-1121 for details.

LEARN TO COMPOST with a special program offered on Feb. 19 at the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford. Teresa Baker, Granville County’s Recycling Coordinator, will be on hand to share information about the benefits of composting to your soil and to the environment. This is a free program and is offered at 1 p.m.

REGISTRATION CONTINUES for a Wildlife Damage and Management Strategies Workshop, to be held Feb. 21 at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center. This event is presented by the N.C. Cooperative Extension Service, Granville County Center, in conjunction with Franklin County, Vance County and Warren County, with presentations by the US Department of Agriculture and the NC Wildlife Resources Commission. Reserve your seat by calling 919-603-1350.

AFRICAN-AMERICAN VOTING RIGHTS HISTORY will be discussed during a program at the Richard H. Thornton Library on Feb. 24. From 6:30 until 8 p.m., Sallyann Marable Hobson will address the voting history in Granville County and Post Civil War North Carolina. Call 919-693-1121 for details.

UNDERSTANDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE programs are being offered at the Granville County Senior Center, 107 Lanier Street in Oxford. Instructed by the Families Living Violence Free organization, the last of these informative sessions will be held on Feb. 18 from 1 until 2 p.m., with a topic of “Personal Boundaries.” This program is open to the public at no charge. Call Marilyn Howard at 919-693-1930 for details.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS can be answered in a Feb. 19 program provided by Census Representative Kathy Dunton. Dunton will be available at the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford at 11 a.m. for a discussion of why the Census is important, how data results are used and other pertinent information about this once-every-decade event. On March 25, Dunton will return to assist anyone needing help completing the questionnaire. Call the Senior Center at 919-693-1930 for details.

AMERICAN MAH-JONGG is a card game that derives from the ancient Chinese and is increasing in popularity. The game of skill (and luck) is being taught by Joyce Martin on Mondays through Feb. 24 at 3:15 p.m. at the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford. There is no fee to attend this class. Contact CLL Coordinator Marilyn Howard at 919-693-1930 for details. (Limit 8 players).

CRICUT WORKSHOPS  are scheduled through the Granville County Library System as participants (age 18+) learn to make their own leather earrings. Sessions are being held at the Stovall Library (Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.), at the Thornton Library (Feb. 26 at 2 p.m.) and the Berea Branch (Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.) Supplies will be provided and registration is not required. Contact your nearest local library for details.

BARN QUILT PAINTING CLASSES continue through the Creative Lifelong Learning Program. A class taught by Reba McInnis is scheduled for Feb. 20 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the Granville County Senior Center, 107 Lanier Street, in Oxford. Registration is required. Contact Marilyn Howard at 919-693-1930 for more details and for a fee schedule.

LOCAL QUILTERS, OR THOSE WHO WANT TO LEARN HOW, can join the Berea Library’s Quilting Club, which meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at the Berea Branch, 1211 Hwy 158. For details, call 919-693-1231.

THE ROAD TO WORLD WAR I is a course offered through the Creative Lifelong Learning Program and is offered Mondays through March 2 at the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford. The instructor is George Robinson, who provides historical information that spans from the Civil War to the firing of the first shots of “The War to End All Wars.” Call 919-693-1930 for more information.

Free Rabies Vaccines to be Offered in Granville County

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Granville County Government

Granville County Animal Control will be offering free rabies vaccines for dogs and cats on Saturday, February 29, 2020. From 9 until 10:30 a.m., residents can bring their pets to Gazebo Park in Butner for one and three-year vaccinations.

North Carolina rabies law (NCGS 130A-185) requires that all owned dogs, cats and ferrets be vaccinated against rabies by four months of age and that rabies vaccinations be kept current.

On Feb. 29, one-year vaccinations will be available for all dogs and cats over this age requirement. Pet owners must bring proof of prior rabies vaccination to receive the three-year option. Accepted proof of vaccination is the paper certificate provided by the pet’s veterinarian when the shot was administered. A rabies tag will not be accepted as proof.

Granville County Animal Control offers a reminder that all cats must be in a carrier and all dogs must be leashed to receive this free service. Vaccinations will be administered on a first-come, first-served basis.

Gazebo Park is located at 416 Central Avenue in Butner. With questions, please contact the Granville County Animal Shelter at 919-693-6749.

Author Discussion Features New Biography of Langston Hughes

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Granville County Government

Dr. W. Jason Miller will be a special guest of the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, as local author discussions continue. The 2 p.m. presentation will provide insight into Miller’s latest novel, a biography of Langston Hughes.

In his most recent work, Miller will discuss how Hughes – the first black author in America to make a living exclusively by writing – inspired an entire generation of writers and activists. Complete with photographs, Miller’s book is one of a series of works that put a renewed focus on the life of this internationally-acclaimed poet. Using unpublished letters and manuscripts, the author will shed more light on how Hughes’ work contributed to the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s.

Dr. W. Jason Miller will be a special guest of the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford on Sunday, Feb. 16, 2020, as local author discussions continue. The 2 p.m. presentation will provide insight into Miller’s latest novel, a biography of Langston Hughes. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt)

Miller’s previous book, “Origins of the Dream: Hughes’ Poetry and the King’s Rhetoric,” describes how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. used portions of Hughes’ poetry in his sermons and speeches from 1956 through 1968. The “King’s First Dream” project, a documentary made in partnership with the Southern Documentary Fund, includes the first-ever recording of Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech, which had its roots in Rocky Mount, NC – a full eight months before the famous speech at the March on Washington in 1963.

Other works by Dr. Miller include the book “Langston Hughes and the Lynching Culture,” as well as online projects and magazine articles. A published poet himself, Miller has been featured in several poetry anthologies and collections.

Dr. Miller is a professor of literature at North Carolina State University. His many accomplishments and distinctions include service on the board of N.C. State’s African-American Cultural Center, where he now serves as the inaugural Scholar-In-Residence (2019-2020). A graduate of the University of Nebraska at Kearney and of Washington State University, his extensive work on the “King’s First Dream” project, which received coverage worldwide, led to an honorary citizenship bestowed by the City of Rocky Mount in 2017.

This program on Langston Hughes is part of a series of local author discussions scheduled for the Granville County Library System and is part of the library’s ongoing celebration of Black History Month. The program is free and open to the public.

For more information on this and other programs offered by the Granville County Library System, visit https://granville.lib.nc.us/ or call 919-693-1121.

Town Talk 02/11/20: Celebrate ‘New Orleans Style’ at BGC’s Mardi Gras Bash

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

Thomas Falgout, interim CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of North Central North Carolina (BGCNCNC) appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m. The BGCNCNC represents Granville, Vance, Franklin, Warren and Halifax counties.

Falgout invited the public to celebrate “New Orleans style” at the 4th Annual Mardi Gras Bash to benefit the Granville County chapter of the Boys & Girls Club on Saturday, February 22, 2020, from 6:30 until 10 p.m.

The bash will be held at Thorndale Oaks, 105 W. Quail Ridge Rd in Oxford, and will include dinner, dancing and music by The Retro Band, all in the spirit of Bourbon St.

Tickets for the adult event are available for $65 each, or two for $120, and may be purchased by calling the BGC Office at (919) 690-0036 or visiting the online Event Brite link by clicking here.

Discussing the benefits of the Boys & Girls Club, which serves school-aged children between the ages of 5-18 in after-school and summer programs, Falgout said the outcome for both the participants and the community is tremendous.

“We get one shot to give children the best childhood imaginable,” said Falgout. “It’s not something they get to do over again. The more people that invest in the Boys & Girls Club, the better the childhood and future of these kids.”

Falgout stated that the benefit to the community is proven. “For every dollar invested in the Boys & Girls Club, there’s about $10 in future earnings in your community.”

The North Central NC Boys & Girls Club currently serves approximately 2,300 youth in various programs throughout the year.

To hear the interview with Falgout in its entirety, including more information on the Boys & Girls Club, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Granville Co. Public Schools to Hold Equity ‘Lunch & Learn’ Wed.

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

Granville County Public Schools invites you to a Community “Lunch & Learn” on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, from 1 – 4 p.m. The event will be held at the GCPS Central Office, 101 Delacroix St. in Oxford.

Participants will take part in an equity conversation about strengthening the school and family partnership. The conversation will be facilitated by Dr. Susan Silver and Mr. Alessandro Montanari with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.

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Lewis St. Development, OPS Annexation Topics of Feb. Commissioners’ Meeting

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

The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, February 11, 2020, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall in Oxford.

Agenda items include:

Public Hearing Joint public hearing with the Planning Board to hear citizen input regarding approval for a 58 +/ – Planned Unit Development on Lewis Street (adjacent to the solar farm).

Consider approving the PUD (Planned Unit Development) with conditions for the 58+/acre project located off of Lewis Street and adjacent to the solar farm.

Consider Accepting Certificate of Sufficiency for Petition of Voluntary, Non-Contiguous, Annexation by Oxford Preparatory School, and calling for a public hearing to be held at the March 10 regular board meeting. 

Accept funds 0f $12,000 provided to the City of Oxford by Downtown Oxford Economic Development Corporation.

Consider approving the renewal of the Governmental Attachment Agreement with Duke Energy Progress.

Consider supporting the Oxford Historic Preservation Commission in applying for grant funds in completing the National Register update project.

Consider calling for a public hearing to be held at the March 10 meeting for a revision to the subdivision ordinance regarding the installation of sidewalks and curbing under Section.71.2 (a).

Consider appointing David Quinn to the Historic Preservation Commission.

Consider appointing Michael Delionback to the Historic Preservation Commission.

Consider approving Change Order #2 for Phoenix Fabricators & Erectors, LLC, for the Water Tank and Associate Water Mains Project.

Consider authorizing the City Manager to sign the Task Order for Infrastructure Design Assistance.

Consider authorizing the City Manager to sign the contract with TriMat for 2017 USDA Water & Sewer Project Construction Testing.

Consider authorizing submittal of an application to USDA for a grant/loan for Contract 2 engineering, construction, and administrative expenses and that the City Manager and/or Mayor, as needed, be authorized to sign all loan application documents.

Consider approving and authorizing the City Manager to execute Change Order #1 for H.G. Reynolds Company, Inc. for the 2017 USDA Water and Sewer Improvements Project.

Consider authorizing the City Manager to sign a Task Order for Sewer System Modeling.

Please click here for the full meeting agenda.

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Granville Co. Announces Feb. Events Sure to Educate, Entertain!

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Granville County Government 

NEED ASSISTANCE WITH TAXES? If you are a senior age 60+ and a Granville County resident, representatives of the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program are now available at the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford. Volunteers will be on hand from 5 until 8 p.m. each Thursday until April 9 for this free assistance program. Appointments are required. To schedule an appointment, contact the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford at 919-693-1930.

LINE DANCING IS BACK at the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford. Classes are offered each Saturday during the month of February through the Creative Lifelong Learning (CLL) program and are scheduled for 10 and 11 a.m. You don’t have to be a “senior” to participate! Contact Marilyn Howard, CLL Coordinator, at 919-693-1930 for registration or for more details.

BEGINNING COMPUTER SKILLS CLASSES are being offered at the Richard H. Thornton Library. On Monday, Feb. 10 at 6:30 p.m., participants can learn how to convert files to PDF, how to search for and personalize files, and more. Seats are limited to five participants. Registration is required. Call 919-693-1121 for more details.

LEARN TO REPAIR YOUR OWN JEWELRY with instructor Linda Strother as a Jewelry Repair class is offered at the Granville County Senior Center. The session is scheduled for Monday, Feb. 10 at 1:30 p.m. and is one of many classes offered through the Creative Lifelong Learning (CLL) program. Contact Marilyn Howard at 919-693-1930 for details.

BEEN MARRIED FOR 50 YEARS OR MORE? Join the fun on Feb. 12 as the Granville County Senior Center partners with the Granville County Library System to present the “Not-So-Newlywed” Game. Eight local couples will compete for prizes as they see how much they know about their spouse. If interested in participating, contact Angela Wright at 919-693-1930. This event is open to the public and begins at 6 p.m.

A CRICUT WORKSHOP will be held at each branch of the Granville County Library System as participants (age 18+) learn to make their own leather earrings. Sessions will be held at the South Branch Library in Creedmoor (Feb. 12 at 2 p.m.), at the Stovall Library (Feb. 19 at 2 p.m.), at the Thornton Library (Feb. 26 at 2 p.m.) and the Berea Branch (Feb. 27 at 2 p.m.) Supplies will be provided and registration is not required. Contact your nearest local library for details.

TODDLERS AND PRESCHOOLERS can enjoy “Night Time Story Time” at the Thornton Library on Feb. 12. Starting at 5 p.m., little ones will be read popular children’s books to prepare for bedtime. For more details, contact Children’s Librarian Amy Carlson at 919-693-1121.

VALENTINE’S DAY IS ON THE WAY! A Cookie Decorating Class will be held at the South Branch Library at 4 p.m. on Feb. 12. Make a sweet treat for this special day. Fun for the whole family! The South Branch Library is located at 1550 South Campus Drive in Creedmoor. Contact Penelope Mason for details at 919-528-1752.

ARE YOU A WOODLAND OWNER? Learn how to manage your property from planning to harvest with a series of workshops presented by N.C. Cooperative Extension and the North Carolina Forest Service. Topics include planning, regeneration, tree management practices and final harvest. Registration is required for these four sessions, scheduled for Feb. 13, May 14, Aug. 15 and Nov. 12 in various locations in Granville and Vance Counties. Contact the Granville County Cooperative Extension office at 919-603-1350 to learn more. All workshops are scheduled for 7 p.m.

MEET LIBBY, THE NEW MOBILE APP FROM OVERDRIVE. Learn how to borrow books and e-Audio books with Libby, your library on the go! On Thursday, Feb. 13, an informative session will be offered at the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford to help library patrons make the most of today’s technology. Registration is not required and basic device skill is recommended. The Richard H. Thornton Library is located at 210 Main Street and the session will be held at 10 a.m.

QUESTIONS ABOUT THE 2020 CENSUS can be answered in a Feb. 19 program provided by Census Representative Kathy Dunton. Dunton will be available at the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford at 11 a.m. for a discussion of why the Census is important, how data results are used and other pertinent information about this once-every-decade event. On March 25, Dunton will return to assist anyone needing help completing the questionnaire. Call the Senior Center at 919-693-1930 for details.

Raccoon Found in Butner Area Tests Positive for Rabies

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Granville County Government

Granville County Animal Control was notified on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, of a suspicious raccoon in Twin Circles, Butner. The animal was tested for rabies, with positive results just reported.

Animal Control Officers have been working to notify residents in that area and the surrounding vicinity and offer a reminder that the best method to protect your pets from rabies is to have them vaccinated and to keep their shots current. North Carolina law also mandates that all owned dogs, cats and ferrets over four months of age should be vaccinated.

The Granville County Animal Shelter, located at 5650 Cornwall Road in Oxford, provides vaccinations for dogs and cats Monday through Friday of each week from noon until 4:30 p.m. The cost is only $6 per animal. Please call the Shelter at 919-693-6749 with any questions.

Granville Vendors Invited to Participate in 2020 ‘Brides on Wheels’

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-Press Release, Granville County Government

Granville County vendors are invited to participate in the 2020 “Brides on Wheels” Bridal Tour and Vendor Show, scheduled for April 19. Brides planning a 2020-2021 wedding will be taking a scenic tour on the “Bridal Bus” to learn more about wedding locations and resources available to help plan the “perfect” event.

Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt.

The day includes a stop at four wedding/reception venues, as well as early access to a brand new venue, The Orpheum at Oxford, located in downtown Oxford. Florists, photographers, caterers, event planners, disc jockeys, rental companies, etc. will be set up to welcome the new brides at this venue throughout the bridal tour – to display a variety of wedding service options.

Vendors interested in participating in this show – a special feature of the “Brides on Wheels” Bridal Tour – are requested to register by Feb. 15. Space is limited, with first priority being given to Granville-based vendors. After Feb. 15, vendors outside of Granville County will be able to sign up to participate, depending on space limitations and availability.

Sponsorships for the Vendor Show are also available, as well as opportunities to distribute items to future bridal couples in “goodie bags” that will be given out to all who participate in the Bridal Tour.

For more information about the Bridal Tour, contact Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen by phone at 919-693-6125 or by email at angela.allen@granvillecounty.org.

Brides who would like to save a seat on the “Brides on Wheels” limo-style tour bus can register at https://granvillebows2020.eventbrite.com.

Woodland Owner Workshops Offer Tips From Planning to Harvesting

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, Agricultural Extension Agent, NC Cooperative Extension

Whether you own 10 acres of woodlands or 1,000 acres, proper planning and management offer countless benefits. Woodland owners who follow a professionally prepared management plan are likely to reap rewards in the form of improved aesthetics, better wildlife habitat and, in the end, more profit.

To learn more, woodland owners can attend a series of free classes in Henderson and Oxford that will take them through the whole process from planning to harvest. The instructors will include professionals from the NC Forest Service and NCSU Extension Forestry. Each class will also feature landowner testimonials.

The classes will meet at 7 p.m. on February 13, May 14, August 13 and November 12, 2020. Topics to be covered include planning, planting, thinning, prescribed fire, harvest and much more. Classes will meet at the Granville Expo Center (2/13 & 8/13) and at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market (5/14 & 11/12).

Complete details and registration information are available at https://go.ncsu.edu/manageyourwoods or by calling 919-603-1350 or 252-438-8188.