Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

Granville Human Relations Committee MLK Breakfast Blends Diversity, Unity, Student Essay Contest

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The Granville County Human Relations Commission will host its annual fellowship breakfast to honor the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on Monday, Jan. 19, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. The event will be held at Oxford Baptist Church, located at 147 Main St. in Oxford.

The event will feature readings from the winners of the annual Martin Luther King, Jr. essay contest. The theme of this year’s contest is “Keeping the Dream Alive: Dr. Martin Luther King’s Vision in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.” Students from J.F. Webb High School, South Granville High School and Northern Granville Middle School participated in the essay contest this year.

Terry Green, Chief of the North Carolina State Capitol Police, will serve as the keynote speaker. The event will also feature musical performances by Tim Johnson and Benaiah Adesoji. The Granville County Human Relations Commission invites the community to celebrate diversity and unity in Granville County while also honoring the academic achievements and writing talent of local students. Due to space limitations, tickets are required for entry. Donations to Area Congregations in Ministry food bank will be accepted at the event.

For more information about the program or to request tickets, please contact the Granville County Administration office at 919.693.5240 or email  Jessica.Todd@granvillecounty.org.

Local Guardian ad Litem Training Begins Jan. 13, 2026

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The local Guardian ad Litem program is a statewide program designed to place trained volunteers to serve as advocates for neglected or abused children going through the court system.

The next six-week training session begins on Jan. 13, 2026. Area Supervisor Samantha Branch, who serves the five-county region that includes Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and Person counties, is seeking additional volunteers who want to become advocates for this very important program.

Formed in 1983, the Guardian ad Litem program serves in all 100 counties in North Carolina and is a division of the N.C. Administrative Office of the Courts.

According to information on its website, when a petition alleging abuse or neglect of a juvenile is filed in district court, the judge appoints a volunteer GAL advocate and an attorney advocate to provide team representation to the child.

Program staff in each county work with the GAL child to provide support – legal and advocacy – to children as they go through the court process.

Advocates protect and promote the best interests of juveniles in abuse and neglect court proceedings, as well as report the child’s wishes to the court. They also could contribute to independent investigations to determine the facts, the needs of the child and identify resources appropriate to each case.

Learn more about the program at https://www.nccourts.gov/programs/guardian-ad-litem.

If you think you’d like to become a trained Guardian ad Litem advocate, call 252.430.5121 or visit volunteerforgal.org.

(Information above originally posted Dec. 17, 2025)

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NC Lottery Sending Fewer Dollars To County Education Coffers In 2025, Audit Shows

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— information courtesy of Office of State Auditor Dave Boliek

The North Carolina Office of the State Auditor has released the statutorily required financial statement audit of the North Carolina Education Lottery.

The audit, performed under contract with accounting firm Cherry Bekaert, found the financial statements present fairly the financial position of Education Lottery as of June 30, 2025 and 2024.

In reviewing the financial statements, however, the audit found that while the Education Lottery’s revenues have increased, there was a decrease in the amount of net revenues transferred for education purposes from FY 2024 to FY 2025.

According to information on the nc.lottery.com website, Vance County has received almost $45.5 million since the lottery began in 2005. In 2024, Vance County received $2,836,221.

According to the financial statements, in FY 2024 the Education Lottery reported total annual revenue – acquired through lottery ticket sales – of $5.4 billion, with $1.07 billion of that being net revenues for North Carolina’s Education Lottery Fund. In FY 2025, total annual revenue increased once again, this time, to $6.6 billion, but net revenues decreased to $1.05 billion designated for public schools. The overall percentage contributed to the public schools, for example, has gone from 23% in FY 2023, to 20% FY 2024, to 16% in FY 2025.

State Auditor Dave Boliek spoke with Education Lottery leadership to discuss the financial statement audit prior to public release. OSA also launched a performance audit of the Education Lottery and has been engaged in that exercise for the last three months. This is the first performance audit of the Education Lottery conducted by the State Auditor since 2008 and since a narrowly tailored investigative report issued by OSA in 2012.

“North Carolinians have a reasonable expectation that if the Education Lottery’s ticket sales go up, money going toward our public schools would increase as well. At first glance, these numbers raise a lot of questions. Over the last three years, total revenues have increased by a total of over $3 billion, while contributions to public education have been flat,” Boliek said. “These numbers led to the initiation of a performance audit designed to take a deep dive into all aspects of the Education Lottery’s finances and operations. North Carolinians deserve answers to some tough questions so that we all have a better understanding of the return public schools are getting from the Education Lottery.”

The full financial statement audit can be viewed here. OSA gave Education Lottery management the opportunity to provide additional commentary on the financial statement audit, which can be read here.

NC State Board of Elections

State Board Of Elections Completes Random Process To Determine Order Of Candidates’ Names On 2026 Ballots

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— information from the N.C. State Board of Elections

State elections officials on Friday afternoon completed a two-step random process to determine how names of the upcoming ballots would appear. State law requires that the State Elections Board determine the order that names will appear on the ballots.

First, a ball was selected out of a bingo machine, with the letter on the ball corresponding with the first letter of the last name of the candidate to be listed first on the ballot. Second, a coin was flipped, with the side facing up corresponding to whether the candidates will be listed in alphabetical order (“heads”) or reverse alphabetical order (“tails”).

The letter on the ball selected from the bingo machine was the letter “F,” meaning candidates whose last names begin with the letter “F” will appear first in contests in the primary and general elections. The subsequent coin flip showed “tails” facing up, meaning that additional candidates will follow in alphabetical order as follows: F, E, D, C, B, A, Z, Y, X, W, V, U, T, S, R, Q, P, O, N, M, L, K, J, I, H, G

This ballot order drawing applies to all 2026 primary and general election contests except for municipal contests. Candidates for municipal office are listed in strict alphabetical order beginning with A, according to state law.

The ballot order selection process was streamed live on Webex.

The 2026 primary election is March 3. The general election is Nov. 3.

 

Oxford Police Dept

Oxford Police Charge One In Connection With Nov. 30 Death

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One person is in jail in connection with a homicide that occurred late last month in Oxford.

According to information from the Oxford Police Department released Friday, Dec. 19, 30-year-old Sheaulynne Harris was charged with aid and abet first-degree murder in the Nov. 30 death of Toshawnka Wyche.

Harris was transported to the Granville County Jail, where she is being held without bond.

This investigation remains ongoing.

 

SportsTalk: Oxford’s Ty Adcock signs with the Padres

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Ty Adcock, the newest pitcher for the San Diego Padres, joins SportsTalk with George Hoyle and Scout Hughes to talk about Ty’s journey from playing ball at South Granville High School, to making it to the Big Leagues, and now signing with the Padres.

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The Local Skinny! Suspect Takes His Own Life Following Double Shooting In Southern Granville

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Two people remain hospitalized Thursday following a shooting Tuesday in southern Granville County. The alleged shooter died near the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound following an hours-long standoff with law enforcement.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Granville County Sheriff Robert Fountain identified the alleged suspect as 27-year-old Bradley McCurdy.

During the press conference, Fountain provided a timeline of events.

A 911 call came in Tuesday afternoon about the shootings, which Fountain said had a “domestic component.” Law enforcement arrived at Grand Oak Road, which has a Franklinton address although it is located in Granville County, several miles from Wilton Elementary and the intersection of Highways 56 and 96.

The female victim was shot twice in the back of the head, and a male victim was shot once, Fountain said. The female was listed in fair condition at the time of the news conference; the male was in critical condition. Their names were not released.

The suspect fled the scene in a white pickup truck, which was located and stopped on Pine Ridge Road off Hwy. 96 after law enforcement officers executed a traffic stop. Negotiators talked with the suspect in efforts to get him to exit the vehicle, Fountain said.

Talks continued into the evening, Fountain said. The sheriff initiated the conversation with the suspect, then handed it over to a Granville County Sheriff’s Office sergeant and the SBI.

Fountain said they set up a command center at Brassfield Volunteer Fire Department to develop a plan of action, with officers at the scene monitoring the situation.

It was about 10:30 p.m., he said, when a gunshot rang out. A drone was flown in to assess the scene and produced images of the suspect with a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

He was removed from the vehicle, at which time life-saving measures were administered.

EMS transported him to a local hospital. He died of his injuries.

The investigation is ongoing.

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Delays/Closings For Monday, Dec. 8

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****BE ADVISED IF YOU ARE SEEING THIS, THE INFORMATION IS NOW OLD AND PERTAINED TO MONDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2025.  COVERAGE IN THIS POST HAS CONCLUDED.

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****UPDATE Monday, Dec. 8 at 3:30 P.M.

Franklin County government offices closed at 3 p.m. and are scheduled to re-open at 10:00 AM Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025, due to inclement weather. Essential staff will report as department leadership advises.
Franklin County Board of Commissioners: Meeting is rescheduled for Monday, Dec. 15.


****UPDATE Monday, Dec. 8 at 8:15 A.M.

Due to the winter weather advisory and current forecast, the following closings and delays have been reported for Monday, Dec. 8:

City of Henderson: City Hall is closed Mon., Dec. 8. The City Council meeting scheduled for 6:00 p.m. is also canceled but will be rescheduled for later this week.

Vance County government offices: Closed

Vance County Clerk of Court office: Closed

Vance County Board of Education meeting: Canceled and rescheduled for December 15

Vance-Granville Community College: Closing at noon for employees and students on 12-8-2025. Dual enrollment and Early College students should check Moodle or email for remote learning assignments or rescheduling of physical lab hours.

Vance County Schools: Closed for students. Staff will operate on an optional remote workday. Additional information will be provided by email to staff. The safety of our students, families and employees remains our top priority. Please stay warm, stay safe and stay connected.

Warren County Schools: Schools will be closed for students. It will be a remote workday for staff.

Victory Christian School: Closed

Henderson Collegiate: Closed for students. Staff will have a remote work day.

Granville County Public Schools: No school for students. Staff should check their emails for important workday instructions.

 

 

TownTalk: Festive Times in Granville County

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Santa is going to be one tired fella if he makes good on all his appearances this weekend in Granville County, but if he’s trying to keep up with Granville Tourism Director Angela Allen, he’ll need an energy drink or two to keep him moving.

Allen said the next couple of weekends in Granville County are “jam-packed” with opportunities to get in the holiday spirit, from parades and shows, to special meals and light displays.

!!(The Lighting of the Greens and Christmas Parade has been rescheduled for Thursday, December 19th.)!!

(POSTPONED) First up is the annual Lighting of the Greens on Friday, Dec. 5, beginning with a flurry of activities at 4 p.m. along Main Street.  (POSTPONED) The crowd will gather around the Courthouse at 6:30 p.m. to witness the downtown decorations lighting up to officially kick off the holiday season. Stick around for the parade at 7 p.m., complete with Ol’ Saint Nick himself. He’s giving the reindeer the evening off, apparently, because Allen said to look for him on the back of a fire truck as the parade wends through downtown Oxford.

Santa’s going to make a couple of appearances in the southern part of the county that evening as well – he’ll be at Butner for Christmas in the Park at Gazebo Park on Central Avenue at 5 p.m. then he’ll head over to Creedmoor’s tree lighting at the Community Center, which begins at 7 p.m.

“To me, it’s all about community,” Allen said on Wednesday’s TownTalk. The community comes together – schools, churches, businesses – to show off their holiday spirit and pride for the places where they live. For Allen, the weather may be cold this time of year, but seeing the togetherness all across the county is heart-warming.

Delrayno Baptist Church’s live nativity called Back To Bethlehem will be open for drive-through visitors on Dec. 13, 14 and 15 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

The church parking lot is transformed with costumed characters, animals and sets to create something that is historical, traditional and spiritual all at the same time, Allen said.

“It’s a tradition that people don’t want to miss,” she said.

Parades, tree lightings and live nativity scenes may be some of the more traditional options for folks to enjoy, but Allen said Granville County has a nice assortment of unexpected things, too.

Take, for instance, the “Yuletide Experience” that will transform the Viking Experience village area this weekend into a wonderland of holiday festivities – all with “a very unique Norse twist,” Allen said.

Ticket packages are available for the Dec. 6-7 event at their website.
There will be games, holiday shopping and friendly competitions for the whole family.

Want to see what an award-winning light display looks like? Then head over to Campbell’s Christmas Display on Bob Daniel Road outside Oxford, where you’ll experience more than 80,000 synchronized lights creating different displays. The Campbells, you may remember, won first prize last year in ABC’s show “The Great Christmas Light Fight.”

They’ve been creating a light display for more than 20 years, Allen said, and welcome folks to not just drive through, but to stop in and visit. All they ask is that you bring along a donation of canned goods to support ACIM, the county’s food bank.

Campbell’s kicks off the season this weekend and continues through most of the month, Allen said.

“This is really nice that this family has taken it to another level,” Allen said, displaying their generosity by giving back to the community.

Another light display is at Granville Christmas Farm, located just off Highway 15 south of Oxford. From now through New Year’s Eve, carloads of folks will drive along and see vignettes from favorite Christmas movies like Rudolph, Christmas Vacation and more.

If full-length feature movies are more your style, then head over to the newly renovated OX Theater in Oxford’s City Hall on Sunday, Dec. 7 or Monday, Dec. 8 to catch a holiday favorite, The Polar Express. Admission is $5. Visit https://oxfordnc.recdesk.com/ to register or call 919.603.1135. The Sunday show is at 3 p.m. and the Monday show is at 6:30 p.m.

The OX Theater will host Nashville Noel on Sunday, Dec. 14, bringing a blend of country and Christmas and the high-energy of the Nashville scene. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the show begins at 7 p.m.

In partnership with the Granville Little Theatre, the OX will host the annual live radio play of the Christmas classic “It’s A Wonderful Life.” Performances are Dec. 11, 12 and 13. The Oxford Prep Jazz Band will perform following the Saturday performance.

Check out all the options and a schedule of all the upcoming events at www.visitgranvillenc.com and follow them on social media channels to stay updated on all the events and programs throughout the county.

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Oxford Police Investigate Nov. 30 Shooting Death

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— information from Oxford Police Department

On November 30, 2025, at approximately 9:43 p.m., officers of the Oxford Police Department were dispatched to the 300 block of Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue in reference to reports of shots being fired in the area. Upon arrival, officers located a male subject near his vehicle who had sustained multiple gunshot wounds. The individual was identified as Toshawnka Rashaan Wyche, date of birth 1/08/1977, of Oxford.

Mr. Wyche was transported to a local medical facility, where he subsequently succumbed to his injuries.

The Oxford Police Department Criminal Investigation Division responded to the scene and is conducting a thorough investigation into this incident. The Department extends its deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Wyche during this difficult time.

Anyone with information pertinent to this incident is encouraged to contact the Oxford Police Department or Crime Stoppers.