Tag Archive for: #oxfordnews

TownTalk: Masonic Home For Children Homecoming Recap

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The Masonic Home for Children at Oxford welcomed throngs of visitors to its campus last weekend for annual Homecoming festivities, which included activities for the kids, live music, food and tours of some of the facilities.

And don’t forget the parade, said MHCO Administrator Kevin Otis.

“The weather cooperated and a lot of people seemed to really have a great time,” Otis said Wednesday on TownTalk.

A couple of dozen barbecue teams got all set up on Friday in advance of the Saturday cookoff, which began shortly after the traditional parade.

The parade route, however, wasn’t the traditional march down College Street onto the campus – this year’s parade was contained on the campus itself. And Otis said it all worked out fine.

“It was a very good parade, with a lot of people coming to watch it,” he said.

“The entire parade route, even though it was short, had a lot of people” lining the drive to check out all the entries.

Otis was pleased with the community support, from school bands and Scout groups to dance teams and cheer squads.

Visitors got a chance to tour the chapel, museum galleries and even one of the residential cottages. Otis said he has received positive feedback from those who said they appreciated learning more about the children’s home and what it offers young people and families.

“What we’re doing is helping families in need,” he said, whether it’s caring for children while parents work to get back on their feet or grandparents who become guardians of their grandchildren.

Otis said cottage parents co-parent with biological parents or guardians to make sure the children’s needs are being met while in residence at the home.

But there also is an independent living program for young adults ages 18-21 who may be struggling to make it on their own. They get set up in their own apartment while learning how to become independent.

“We’re doing a lot of good work and not just for local kids, but all over North Carolina.

Learn more at 919.693.5111 or visit https://mhc-oxford.org/.

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TownTalk: 9th Annual Military History Show Coming Up Soon

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Wartime friends –  and foes – will be represented when the 9th annual Military History show commences later this month, but organizer Harry Coombs is confident that there won’t be any skirmishes. All sides are coming together in a show of force to benefit the Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee.

The event takes place Saturday, Oct. 26 at the Henderson-Oxford Airport, 6514 Airport Rd., Oxford, where it’s been held since Coombs first hatched the idea of showcasing his own collection of military artifacts. But he learned early on that it’s hard to be the organizer AND the exhibitor. In fact, Coombs said on Monday’s TownTalk that he has yet to display any of his collection. Except his 1931 German-style BMW motorcycle.

But that’s ok, because there will be plenty of reenactors representing military personnel dating back to the Revolutionary War.

“Each year, it’s the same – but different,” Coombs said of the various reenactors and which era will be represented. He said in addition to the reproduction uniforms from the Revolutionary War and Civil War periods, authentic uniforms from more recent wars will be represented, including the two World Wars, as well as Vietnam and the Gulf War.

“They are absolutely authentic,” Coombs said. “The firearms, weapons – they’re all the real things,” he said. The reproductions are “museum quality,” he said. “They’re reproductions, but they are on-the-spot reproductions.”

The event is free and open to the public and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Coombs said. In addition to the reenactors, there will be weapons demonstrations and other displays of military equipment and vehicles.

Total Flight Solutions is going to be on site to provide helicopter rides again this year. If prices remain the same as last year, $40 will get you a seat on a chopper for an overhead tour of the area.

There will be a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle and a donation bucket to stuff in some extra bills, all of which go to support the work of the local Veterans Affairs Committee, which helps veterans with a wide range of support services.

Each year, the event has bettered the previous year’s profit, and last year, Coombs said, was the best yet – a total of $3,000 was raised.

So whether you’re interested in seeing what the Army calls a “half track,” just how big a Howitzer cannon is or what the Allied Forces uniforms looked like during World War II, the Military History Show is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Vendor spaces are available, Coombs said. Reserve a 10 x 10 space for $25.

Search the Event tab on Facebook to find the 9th Annual Military History Show for more details.

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Oxford Police Dept

Oxford Police, ALE Agents Arrest Four On Drug Charges

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Four Oxford residents face a slew of drug charges following an investigation by the Oxford Police Department and ALE special agents earlier this week.

On Tuesday, April 25, 2023, ALE special agents and the Oxford Police Department, executed a search warrant at Four Corners Food Mart, located at 1104 Goshen St. in Oxford, after receiving complaints of drug sales at the location.

As a result of the investigation, two employees and two owners were charged with a total of 21 charges, which included 14 felonies. During the search, agents seized more than 3.5 pounds of marijuana,oxycodone, Adderall, Xanax pills, Ecstasy tablets and Suboxone, as well as one handgun and more than $11,000.

“The Oxford Police Department is appreciative for the joint effort in making our community safer,” Chief Pat Ford said in a press release issued Thursday. “Thank you to the agents and officers involved.”

Charged in connection with the case are:

  • Abraham Saif Assaedi, 27, was charged with Felony Conspire to Sell Marijuana, Felony Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Marijuana, Felony Maintain a Dwelling/Vehicle/Place for Controlled Substances and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
  • Saif Alsaidi, 71, was charged with Felony Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Marijuana, Felony Conspire to Sell/Deliver Marijuana, Felony Maintain a Dwelling/Vehicle/Place for Controlled Substances, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
  • Nikki Davis, 47, was charged with Felony Possession with Intent to Sell and Deliver Marijuana, Felony Conspire to Sell/Deliver Marijuana, Felony Trafficking Opium or Heroin, Possession with Intent to  Manufacture/Sell/Delivery Schedule II Controlled Substance, Felony Maintain a Dwelling/Vehicle/Place for Controlled Substances, Felony Possession Schedule II Controlled Substances, Felony Possession Schedule I Controlled Substance, Simple Possession of Schedule IV Controlled Substance, Simple Possession of Schedule III Controlled Substance and Possession of Marijuana Paraphernalia.
  • Felicia Ann Hayes, 47, was charged with Felony Possession with the Intent to Manufacture/Sell/Deliver Marijuana, Felony Conspire to Sell Marijuana and Simple Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Ready, Set, Go! Hot Sauce Vendors Can Sign Up Beginning Feb. 15

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Are you ready for some hot sauce? Vendor applications will go live next week as the City of Oxford gears up for the 17th annual NC Hot Sauce Festival, set for Saturday, Sept. 9, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All applications and payments will be processed online, according to information from Alyssa Blair, Oxford’s downtown development and Main Street director.

The official online kickoff for early-bird registration is Wednesday, Feb. 15 and will continue through June 30; regular registration is July 1-Aug. 1. The deadline to submit an application is Aug. 1, but waitlist applications will be accepted until Sept. 1.

Stay up-to-date on all the latest information at Hot Sauce Facebook page.

Oxford’s Vision Behavioral Health Services Walk-In Clinic Now Open

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Vision Behavioral Health Services is a new walk-in center in Oxford offers support and services to individuals in crisis. Local officials, health care providers and community partners gathered earlier this week for a ribbon-cutting to officially open the clinic, located at 111 Hilltop Village.

The center will primarily serve residents of Granville County, offering support and services to help people experiencing a behavioral health crisis in the same way an urgent care clinic serves people who need immediate help for physical health issues.

“We are humbled by the opportunity to serve Granville County, and understand the responsibility given to us today,” said Nicole Qualls, Vision’s owner and clinical director.

Donald Reuss, vice president of behavioral health and intellectual/developmental disabilities network operations for Vaya Health, recognized the outpouring of local support that made the walk-in center a reality.

“At Vaya, we’re thrilled to see this walk-in center come to life for this community,” Reuss said. “This is why we are passionate about the work we do, and none of it would be possible without the support from the people who call Granville County home.”

The new facility will offer an array of services to help individuals in crisis, including same-day assessments with recommendations for care, de-escalation, stabilization and safety planning. Other services, such as medication management and individual and group therapy will be available for individuals seeking ongoing support after a behavioral health crisis.

Granville County Commissioner Russ May also serves on Vaya’s regional board. “We can never give up or stop trying. We must explore a full array of tools, and this clinic, I hope, will be such a tool,” May said at the ribbon-cutting.

In addition to May, officials attending the event included Granville County Sheriff Robert Fountain Jr.; state Sen. Mary Wills Bode; state Reps. Frank Sossamon and Matthew Winslow; Granville County commissioners Tony Cozart, Jimmy Gooch, Sue Hinman, Zelodis Jay, Tim Karan and Rob Williford.

To learn more about walk-in crisis centers and the services they provide, visit https://www.vayahealth.com/get-help/walk-crisis-centers.

Downtown Oxford ‘Social District’ Begins Sept. 1

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Final preparations for Oxford’s Downtown Social District are almost complete – beginning Thursday, Sept. 1, patrons of eight downtown establishments can sip adult beverages as they stroll along the sidewalks within the designated area.

The City of Oxford and the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Corporation (DOEDC)  have created a map which defines the social district and outlines the specific streets where the social district has been established, as well as the businesses that are participating, according to information from Alyssa Blair, the city’s communications specialist.

Alcoholic beverages may be consumed in this area during the following hours: Wednesday through Saturday, 12 noon – 9 p.m., and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 9 p.m. Beverages must be in social district containers only and must be discarded before you exit the designated social district boundaries. Window clings will be present in storefronts downtown to indicate their participation: a green cling means beverages are welcome inside, a red cling means no beverages are allowed, and a yellow cling means that beverages are sold inside. Downtown merchants have been provided the different clings and city and downtown officials request that patrons respect the business owners’ individual decisions to participate or not. For more information regarding the Social District including hours of operation, window cling and sticker examples, please visit the City of Oxford website at https://www.oxfordnc.org/community/downtown_oxford_social_district.php

Participating businesses are:

Map and Elements courtesy of City of Oxford and DOEDC

  • Harvest
  • Strong Arm Baking Co.
  • Milano’s
  • The Orpheum
  • The Hub
  • Uptown Bar And Restaurant
  • Main Street Oasis
  • Tobacco Wood Brewing Co.

5 Granville Students Participating In Summer Leadership Program

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Five local high school students are participating in Granville County’s Summer Civic Leadership Program.

The students, all rising seniors, began the program on June 16, according to a statement from Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood. The program continues through July and the students will be present at the Aug. 8 meeting of the Granville Board of Commissioners to talk about their experience and share the results of a group project.

The summer program began 22 years ago and is designed to allow high school students to gain exposure and on-the-job-experience in all aspects of county government operations.

The following students are participating in the program:

  • Kristopher Arias – Granville Early College
  • Jayla Gregory – Granville Early College
  • MacKayla McBride – Granville Early College
  • Kenyan Smith – J.F. Webb High School
  • Courtney Williams – Granville Early College

Oxford Designated As Affiliate Main Street America Program

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-information courtesy of the City of Oxford

The City of Oxford and the Downtown Oxford Economic Development Commission have been designated as an Affiliate Main Street America™ program for meeting rigorous performance standards.

Each year, Main Street America and its partners announce the list of Affiliate programs to recognize their commitment to creating meaningful improvements to their downtowns using preservation-based economic development and community revitalization through the Main Street Approach™.

The City of Oxford and DOEDC’s performance is annually evaluated by North Carolina Main Street which works in partnership with Main Street America to identify the local programs that are committed to comprehensive, place-based revitalization efforts and achieving meaningful community outcomes.

We are thrilled to acknowledge this year’s 383 Affiliate Main Street America programs and their commitment to advance economic vitality and quality of life in their downtowns and commercial districts,” Main Street America President and CEO Patrice Frey. “During another incredibly challenging year, these programs demonstrated the power of the Main Street movement to respond to the needs of their communities, driving essential local recovery efforts, supporting small businesses, and nurturing vibrant neighborhoods.”

In 2021, Main Street America programs generated $5.76 billion in local reinvestment, helped open 6,601 net new businesses, generated 30,402 net new jobs, catalyzed the rehabilitation of 10,595 historic buildings, and leveraged 1,427,729 volunteer hours. On average, for every dollar that a Main Street program spent to support its operations, it generated $19.34 of new investment back into Main Street communities.

Main Street America leads a movement committed to strengthening communities through preservation based economic development in older and historic downtowns and neighborhood commercial districts. For more than 40 years, Main Street America has provided a practical, adaptable, and impactful framework for community-driven, comprehensive revitalization through the Main Street Approach™. Our network of more than 1,200 neighborhoods and communities, rural and urban, share both a commitment to place and to building stronger communities through preservation-based economic development. Since 1980, communities participating in the program have leveraged more than $95.33 billion in new public and private investment

generating 161,036 net new businesses and 717,723 net new jobs and rehabilitated more than 314,431 buildings. Main Street America is a nonprofit subsidiary of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For more information, visit mainstreet.org.

Oxford Logo

Oxford FD Receives Higher ISO Rating

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The city of Oxford has announced that its fire department has received a new rating following a recent inspection, which places it among the top 12 percent of all rated fire departments in the state.

The Oxford Fire Department, under the leadership of Chief David Cottrell, achieved a new rating of 3 from the Insurance Services Office, according to information from the City of Oxford. The ISO rating will go into effect on Aug. 1, 2022.  The inspection, conducted by officials with the NC Department of Insurance of the State Fire Marshal, is required on a regular basis as part of the North Carolina Response Rating System (NCRRS).

The scores range from 1 (highest) to 10 (not recognized as a certified fire department by the state). A higher rating means that a department is better equipped to respond to fires and also significantly lower homeowners’ insurance rates in their district. Among other things, the inspections look for proper staffing levels, sufficient equipment, proper maintenance of equipment, communications capabilities, and availability of a water source.

In a statement, Insurance Commissioner and State Fire Marshal Mike Causey congratulated Cottrell and his department for their “performance and for the hard work of all the department members. The citizens in the city of these districts should rest easy knowing they have a fine group of firefighters protecting them and their property in case of an emergency.”