Tag Archive for: #granvillecountynews

Brummitt and Hicks Earn Certification from NENA

/by

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

-Press Release, Granville County Government

Granville County’s Emergency Communications (9-1-1) Director Trent Brummitt and Training Coordinator Stacy Hicks have been certified by the National Emergency Number Association (NENA).

ENP Certification is a tool that establishes benchmarks for performance, signifying competence in the field. Those who successfully complete certification demonstrate a mastery of the knowledge required for emergency number program management, help raise industry standards, and confirm their commitment to the 9-1-1 profession.

Granville County’s Emergency Communications Director Trent Brummitt (left) and Training Coordinator Stacy Hicks (right) are now ENP certified. (Photo courtesy Granville Co. Govt)

Candidates must meet eligibility requirements, complete an application (after an approval process) and pass the ENP exam. Once certification is earned, the credentials must be maintained by fulfilling re-certification requirements every four years, or passing the exam again prior to the re-certification deadline.

The Emergency Communications Center is under the direction of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office. All telecommunicators are certified through the N.C. Sheriff’s Education and Training Standards Commission, as well as being certified as Division of Criminal Information (DCI) terminal operators through the State Bureau of Investigation.

In addition, telecommunicators are certified and trained in Emergency Medical Dispatch (EMD), which enables them to give pre-arrival first aid over the telephone and in Emergency Fire Dispatch (EFD), which enables them to gather scene-specific information to relay to responders.

In addition to the required certifications, Brummitt and Hicks are now two of 84 certified ENP’s (Emergency Number Professionals) across the entire state.

Public Economic Development Hearings Scheduled for Commissioners’ Meeting

/by

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

-Information courtesy Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board, Granville County

The Granville County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, December 2, 2019, at 7 p.m. at the Granville Expo and Convention Center, 4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford.

Agenda items include:

Consent Agenda

1. Contingency Summary

2. Budget Amendment #4

3. Minutes

4. Amendment to Audit Contract

Introductions, Recognitions and Presentations

5. Recognition of Service – Rebecca M. Baskerville

6. VIPER System

Organizational Matters

7. Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman

8. Set Meeting Time, Place and Schedule for Calendar Year 2020

9. Appointment of Members to Board/Committee/Liaison Assignments

10. Approve Bonds for County Officials for 2019-2020

Public Comments

11. Public Comments

Public Hearings

12. Public Hearing for Economic Development – Project FNP

13. Public Hearing for Economic Development – Project Adam

Purchasing

14. Homeland Security Grant Program Purchase Matter

15. IT Email Migration to Office 365

16. IT Backup Storage Expansion

17. 9-1-1 Back-up Center Additional Console

18. 9-1-1 Center Console Furniture Purchase

19. Granville County Law Enforcement Center 911 Communications Tower

Surplus Property

20. Declaration of Surplus Vehicles

Appointments

21. Granville County Human Relations Commission

22. Granville County Economic Development Advisory Board

23. Orange Street Community Center

24. Fire Services Committee

County Manager’s Report

25. Durham County’s Partnership Opportunity

26. Granville-Vance District Health Department Temporary Space

County Attorney’s Report

27. County Attorney’s Report

Presentations by County Board Members

28. Presentations by County Board Members

Any Other Matters

29. Any Other Matters

Closed Session

30. Closed Session as allowed by G.S. 143-318.11(a)(5) – Property Acquisition

To view Granville Co. Board of Commissioner meeting agendas and minutes, click here. 

Granville County Public Schools

Granville Co. Board of Education to Meet Dec. 2

/by

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

-Information courtesy Granville County Public Schools

NOTICE TO PUBLIC AND PRESS

The Granville County Board of Education will meet for a regular board meeting on Monday, December 2, 2019, at 6 p.m. at the Granville County Public Schools Central Office, 101 Delacroix Street, Oxford, North Carolina.

The Board will also meet in a Closed Session with the Board’s attorney in accordance with N.C. General Statute 143.318.11 (a)(6), 143-318.11 (a)(3), 143.318.11 (a)(5) and Section 115C-321 on this evening.

To view the agenda for this meeting, please click here.

Oxford Prep to Host Winter Wonderland Event

/by

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

-Information courtesy Oxford Preparatory School

Oxford Preparatory School, 6041 Landis Rd, Oxford, will host a Winter Wonderland event in the gymnasium on Saturday, December 7, 2019, from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m.

Come learn about the Lower School program (K – 6th-grade) for the 2020-2021 school year and hear musical performances from the 5th and 6th-grade classes.

Fun games and activities are planned for the kids courtesy of the school’s Interact Club. Enjoy cookies and cocoa with current parents.

Prospective students can be entered for next school year’s lottery.

Help Needed Identifying Armed Subject in Bandag Parking Lot

/by

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

-Information courtesy Granville County Government

The Granville County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information about the identity of a subject who entered the parking lot of Bridgestone/Bandag in Oxford on Saturday, November 23, 2019, around 9:38 p.m.

The subject, who was driving a silver 2007 Chevrolet Impala, parked by the Smoke Shack (break-room) and exited the vehicle with an assault rifle, wearing a camouflage face mask with round eyelets that draped past the shoulders. It is believed that the suspect is a male.

As of yet, there is no information available that the subject made verbal contact with any employees or entered the plant. The vehicle was last seen making a left turn onto West Industry Drive.

Detective Keith Campbell of the Sheriff’s Office requests that anyone with information, or anyone traveling on West Industry Drive near Bandag around the time of the incident, please call Granville County Crime Stoppers at 919-693-3100.

A reward of up to $1,000 is available for information leading to an arrest.

Oxford Prep School

Oxford Preparatory School’s Open Enrollment Begins Dec. 2

/by

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

-Press Release, Oxford Preparatory School

Open Enrollment for Oxford Preparatory School’s (OPS) 2020 – 2021 school year begins on Monday, December 2, 2019. Applications for new Kindergarten – 12th-grade students will be available at oxfordprep.org at that time.

OPS is an independent and tuition-free public charter school that is designed to mold students into future leaders through the completion of a rigorous curriculum while focusing on community service and developing an appreciation of the arts. OPS offers a college preparatory curriculum, a variety of competitive middle school and varsity athletic teams, and has a main campus located at 6041 Landis Rd. in Oxford.

OPS invites families of prospective students to learn more about the unique offerings of the school. All prospective families are invited to the school’s first Winter Wonderland on Saturday, December 7 from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at 6041 Landis Rd. in Oxford. The event will provide interested families a glimpse into the curriculum and vision of the Lower School while offering children a variety of fun activities coordinated by the school’s Interact Club.

The first information session for families of rising K – 6th-grade students will be held on Tuesday, December 10 at 6 p.m. Afterwards, tours will be conducted that will allow the opportunity to meet faculty.

In addition, prospective students are invited to spend time visiting the school on three Shadow Days so they can experience our unique school program firsthand. Visiting students accompany OPS student guides through their classes during a four-hour visit. It’s a chance to meet the staff and the students and to get a snapshot view of our engaging college preparatory classes. Information about all of these events is posted on the school’s website (OxfordPrep.org).

The school currently operates in a permanent Upper School Building (Grades 7 – 12) and a temporary Lower School Building (Grades 5 & 6) on the main campus. The school is in the final stages of USDA loan approval for a new permanent lower school facility (K – 6th-grade) that will be constructed on the main campus on Landis Rd.

In the interim, Oxford Preparatory School has submitted a request to Granville County Public Schools to operate K – 4th-grade at the former Joe-Toler Oak Hill Elementary School site (8176 NC-96, Oxford, NC 27565), to which shuttle busing will be provided from the main campus on Landis Rd.

This potential agreement, governed by NC law (§ 115C-218.35. ) would benefit GCPS by reducing their operating costs for a closed school building and provide OPS the additional space for the increased enrollment that was approved by the NC State Board of Education in February.

To be considered for a potential lottery, all applications must be submitted online by Friday, February 28, 2020. If more applications are received than available seats in any grade, a blind public lottery will be held on Saturday, March 14, 2020. All students choosing to attend OPS will need to confirm enrollment by completing and sending in an enrollment packet by Wednesday, April 1, 2020.

After February 28, applications received will be placed at the end of the waiting list as determined by the lottery.

For additional comments, please contact Andrew Swanner – Oxford Preparatory School – Executive Director – (swannerab@oxfordprep.org) (919) 690-0360.

Mark Pace

Thornton Library Showcases Artifacts for Native American Indian Heritage Month

/by

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

-Press Release, Granville County Government

The month of November marks an observance of Native American Indian Heritage Month, and the Richard H. Thornton Library is helping showcase this observance with a display of arrowheads and other artifacts from the private collection of North Carolina Room Specialist and historian Mark Pace.

The collection includes pottery shards, spear points, arrowheads and primitive tools that Pace has collected for more than 50 years.

North Carolina Room Specialist and historian Mark Pace is pictured with his collection of pottery shards, spear points, arrowheads and primitive tools. The Thornton Library in Oxford, NC is showcasing Pace’s collection in observance of Native American Indian Heritage Month. (Granville Co. Govt photo)

Pace says he found his first arrowhead when he was eight years old on his grandfather’s farm in Johnston County. That find – with a fluted point – got him hooked, and led him to continue his quest to uncover more. In all, he has more than 25,000 pieces in his collection, some of which have been verified as being thousands of years old.

“Looking for artifacts is therapeutic to me,” Pace says of this passion he has followed for most of his life. “I’m not a golfer, but I compare this to making a hole in one. When I find one, it’s a great win.”

Pace’s collection includes artifacts from many areas of the state. The most he has found in one day, he recollects, were 60 pieces uncovered near Williamsboro. Those finds, as well as many others, he keeps in boxes in his home, with a few choice pieces displayed in a handcrafted case in his living room.

“I often wonder about the people who made and used these,” he says. “If whole civilizations were here so many years before us, how permanent are we?”

Ironically, the first piece Pace found in Johnston County, back when he was an eight-year-old, has since been dated to be 10,000 years old. This fluted point arrowhead, one of the oldest in his collection, is a rare find that has since been documented in archeology journals and is part of the display at the Thornton Library through the end of this month.

“Everyone knows how much I love history and genealogy,” Pace adds. “We all have to remember that history goes back way before 1746, when Granville County was formed. Years from now, there will be those who will be learning about us. I wonder what they will find?”

(A display for Native American Indian Heritage Month is also featured at the South Branch Library in Creedmoor, as well as books available for checkout at the Stovall and Berea branches.)

Town Talk 11/25/19: Granville Tourism Announces Thanksgiving Week Events

/by

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

Angela Allen, director of the Granville County Tourism Development Authority, appeared on WIZS’ Town Talk Monday at 11 a.m.

When asked to briefly describe her job, Allen laughed and replied, “I tell people exactly how to have fun and where to find it.”

Some of those “fun” Granville County events are planned for the last week of November and include:

The 15th Annual Turkey Trot will take place in downtown Oxford on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, November 28, 2019. This annual tradition benefits Area Congregations in Ministry (ACIM), Granville County’s food bank.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. at Oxford United Methodist Church on College Street. Walkers and runners set off on the roughly 2-mile course at 9 a.m. and end the race back at the church.

The entry fee is two cans of food or a cash donation in any amount to ACIM.

Pre-Thanksgiving Lunch Buffet at Thorndale Oaks in Oxford on Tuesday, November 26, 2019, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Celebrate the holiday season early with your family, friends, and coworkers.

Menu items include – smoked whole roasted turkey with gravy, sliced ham with honey glaze salad, fresh fruit and holiday mixed green salad, homemade stuffing, Southern-style green beans, homemade mashed potatoes, mac and cheese, assorted pies and peach cobbler.

Reservations required; call (919) 603-3701 or email thorndaleoaks@aol.com.

The Granville County Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Thanksgiving Breakfast will be held Wednesday, November 27 at 7:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center of Oxford Baptist Church, Main Street, Oxford.

Attendees are requested to bring non-perishable food donations (canned food) for Area Congregations In Ministry (ACIM).

Small Business Saturday will be held on November 30 to support small, local, independent businesses in Granville County, NC.

Understanding the important contributions small businesses make to their communities, the Granville County Chamber of Commerce encourages consumers to take part in Small Business Saturday® by supporting small, local businesses.

Continuing a five-year tradition, shopping bags with promotional items for Small Business Saturday will be available at the Chamber’s Annual Thanksgiving Breakfast on November 27.

Tobacco Wood Brewing Company, 117 Wall Street in Oxford, has several exciting events planned for the week including a Thanksgiving Market featuring produce, baked goods, etc. on Wednesday, November 27 from 3 until 5 p.m.; an Open Mic Night on Wednesday, November 27 at 7 p.m.; and the release of a special Black Friday beer at 6 p.m. on Friday, November 29.

For more information on Granville County events, please visit www.visitgranvillenc.com.

To hear Allen’s interview in its entirety, including information on additional upcoming events, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Granville Co. Library System Accepting ‘Food for Fines’

/by

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

-Information courtesy Granville County Government

Have outstanding fines at a Granville County library? No problem! Bring a food donation for Area Congregations In Ministry (A.C.I.M.) by Friday, December 20, 2019, and $1 will be taken off your library balance for every can/jar contributed.

This applies to all four branches of the Granville County Library System – the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford, South Branch Library in Creedmoor and the Stovall and Berea locations.

Items must be non-perishable, 12 oz. or larger and not dented or expired.

Help someone have a holiday meal this season and reduce or eliminate your library fines!

Granville’s Creative Lifelong Learning (CLL) Classes Continue

/by

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

-Press Release, Granville County Government

The Fall calendar of classes, interactive activities and educational trips is winding down for the Granville County Senior Services’ Creative Lifelong Learning (CLL) program, with registration for Winter course offerings coming soon. Offering a variety of programming for all interests, the new tagline for the CLL program is “Never Stop Learning.”

Completing the current season are several courses scheduled during the month of December. Registration is still open for these final classes:

  • “Egypt’s Sacred Sites and Spiritual Journey” will be held on Monday, Dec. 2 at 1 p.m. This class will be instructed by Peggy Moore, an instructor at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at the University of North Carolina at Asheville. Learn about Egypt’s ancient history and the legends of gods and goddesses, as well as the pyramids of Giza, the temples in Aswan and in Luxor and Moore’s travels to other sites;
  • A demonstration on Mary Kay Skincare will be held on Monday, Dec. 2 from 3 until 5 p.m., facilitated by Ella Fleming. This is an interactive class for participants to learn about their own skin types, as well as offering an afternoon of fellowship and fun;
  • On Thursday, Dec. 5, have “A Cup of Christmas Tea” as participants learn the art of Dutch tea bag folding while learning the story behind the classic poem. This class will be instructed by Maxine Chauvaux at 1:30 p.m.;
  • The discussion group, “North Carolina, Our Home” continues to meet on the second Tuesday of each month. This month, the interest group is scheduled to meet on Dec. 10 at 9:30 a.m.;
  • The art of Barn Quilt Painting will be taught on Dec. 12 at 10 a.m. by instructor Nancy Peele. A short history of barn quilts will also be shared with students, as well as a hands-on painting of a quilt pattern;
  • On Dec.13, “Crafts for Every Season” continues with the making of a wooden snowman. This class follows other seasonal projects such as a decoupage wooden tray, a mason jar candle holder and a clay pot scarecrow and is being taught by Christine Luscavich.

All classes are taught at the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford, located at 107 Lanier Street.

A course schedule for Winter is now being developed, with classes that will include Tai Chi, Spanish, Sewing, Line Dancing, Photography, Basic Defense, Arts and Crafts, and other topics. Also to be scheduled are courses such as the Criminal Justice System and The Road to World War I, as well as a discussion of the book “Freedom Road.” The popular “My Former Life” series also continues as local residents share their professional and personal experiences that made them who they are today.

Those interested in serving as instructors for the Winter season are asked to contact Marilyn Howard at the Senior Center in Oxford.

Participants do not have to be “seniors” to participate, as the Creative Lifelong Learning Program is open to any resident over the age of 18. As of the month of November, more than 250 CLL members have participated in this program. This the second full year that the CLL program has been offered to residents of Granville County.

For a more complete listing of courses available, or to see how you can enroll, contact Marilyn Howard, CLL Coordinator, at 919-693-1930 or visit www.granvillecounty.org.