Omicron Variant Accounts For 99 Percent Of New COVID-19 Cases In Vance, Granville
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The Local Skinny! Register Now To Attend Feb. 1 Expungement Clinics In Henderson, Oxford
Learn how to get your criminal records expunged tomorrow (Tuesday, Feb. 1) at two free informational clinics – one in Henderson and one in Oxford.
The Kerr-Tar Reentry Roundtable is partnering with Legal Aid of North Carolina to host the events, during which Legal Aid staff will walk participants through the process of getting previous records expunged, or cleared, which could have a positive impact when applying for jobs or housing.
The clinics will be held from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Perry Memorial Library, 205 Breckenridge St., Henderson and at the Oxford Housing Authority, 101 Hillside Dr., Oxford, according to KTCOG strategic initiatives coordinator Kisha High.
High told John C. Rose on Monday’s The Local Skinny! that the clinics are informational only; those who attend and qualify for record expungement will be notified to attend an April 12 clinic at Hix Gym in Oxford to complete the expungement process.
“This is our very first expungement event,” High said. Monthly information sessions are planned and she said most likely the expungement clinics would be held quarterly.
The Second Chance Law that went into effect in June 2020 provides information about which offenses can be expunged from a criminal record, and changes that took effect on Dec. 1, 2021 give more hope to those who wish to have records cleared.
Legal Aid staff will be ready Tuesday to clarify which charges and what type of offenses can be removed, she said.
Maybe it was a DWI or some other activity that happened earlier in a person’s life that is affecting their adult life now, High said. Even if a person’s criminal record is not able to be expunged, High said a “certificate of release” can be issued by a judge that indicates the prior record should not be held against the person.
Interested in participating? Contact Kisha High at 252. 436.2040, ext. 2008 no later than noon on Tuesday, Feb. 1.
One dead, juveniles charged following shooting Jan. 19
One man is dead and one juvenile is being held without bond following a shooting on Jan. 19, 2022, according to information from the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.
Sheriff Curtis R. Brame released a press statement Friday afternoon which gave details of the incident.
Deputies responded to a call at 104 Vicksboro Road and, upon arrival, discovered a man with an apparent gunshot wound to the torso. The victim was identified as Chrisdarrius Clark. Vance County EMS attempted life-saving measures, but Clark was pronounced dead at the scene.
The Vance County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division, along with members of the SBI, conducted an investigation into the incident that resulted in multiple juvenile charges. The charges include first-degree murder, obstruction of justice, and possession of a handgun by a minor.
A 17-year-old, who was found at the scene, was taken into secure custody by deputies without incident for the charge of first-degree murder and obstruction of justice. Two other juveniles have also been charged in relation to this incident, but no details are available about specific charges.
Anyone with information regarding this incident is urged to contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.
It’s Tax Time! Electronic Filing Could Speed Returns
–information courtesy of the Internal Revenue Service
The 2022 tax filing season is off and running and the IRS is asking taxpayers to take extra precautions to file an accurate tax return electronically, which could help speed refunds. This year’s deadline to file is April 18, according to information from the IRS.
Employers are busy preparing those 2021 tax statements for employees, which usually arrive by the end of January.
More than 160 million individual tax returns for the 2021 tax year are expected to be filed, with most before the April 18 tax deadline.
Most taxpayers face an April 18 deadline this year due to the Emancipation Day holiday in Washington, D.C falling on April 15. The deadline to file taxes in North Carolina is April 18.
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig noted that taxpayers need to take special care this year due to several critical tax law changes that took place in 2021 and ongoing challenges related to the pandemic.
“IRS employees are working hard to deliver a successful 2022 tax season while facing enormous challenges related to the pandemic,” Rettig said. “There are important steps people can take to ensure they avoid processing delays and get their tax refund as quickly as possible. We urge people to carefully review their taxes for accuracy before filing. And they should file electronically with direct deposit if at all possible; filing a paper tax return this year means an extended refund delay.”
For most taxpayers who file a tax return with no issues, the IRS anticipates they will receive their refund within 21 days of when they file electronically if they choose direct deposit – similar to previous years. Last year’s average tax refund was more than $2,800.
“There are simple steps that people can take that will help them navigate this challenging tax season,” Rettig said. “Filing electronically and using online resources instead of calling are just some of the steps that can help people avoid delays.”
“IRS employees will do everything possible with the available resources to serve taxpayers this year,” Rettig said. “We will work hard to deliver refunds quickly, serve as many people as possible and work to catch up on past tax returns affected by the pandemic.”
Consult a local tax professional or your personal tax consultant for guidance on completing tax returns. Following is a list of tips from the IRS:
Fastest refunds by e-filing, avoiding paper returns: Filing electronically with direct deposit and avoiding a paper tax return is more important than ever this year to avoid refund delays. If you need a tax refund quickly, do not file on paper – use software, a trusted tax professional or Free File on IRS.gov.
Avoid delays; file an accurate tax return: More than ever this year, the IRS urges people to make sure they’re ready to file an accurate tax return. An accurate tax return can avoid processing delays, extensive refund delays and later IRS notices.
Special care for EIP, advance Child Tax Credit recipients: The IRS also encourages caution to those people who received a third Economic Impact Payment or advance Child Tax Credit in 2021. Taxpayers should ensure the amounts they’ve received are entered correctly on the tax return. Incorrect entries when reporting these payments mean the IRS will need to further review the tax return, creating an extensive delay. To help taxpayers, the IRS is mailing special letters about the stimulus payments and advance Child Tax Credit payment amounts. People can also check the amount of their payments in their Online Account available on IRS.gov.
Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit refunds: By law, the IRS cannot issue a refund involving the Earned Income Tax Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit before mid-February, though eligible people may file their returns beginning on January 24. The law provides this additional time to help the IRS stop fraudulent refunds from being issued.
Avoid phone delays; online resources best option for help: IRS.gov is the quickest and easiest option for help. IRS assisted phone lines continue to receive record numbers of calls, more than the agency can handle with its limited resources. Avoid delays: Check IRS.gov first for refund information and answers to tax questions. Establishing an Online Account on IRS.gov can also help taxpayers get information quickly. The Online Account feature has recently been expanded to allow more people to gain access.
Don’t normally file a return? Consider filing for CTC, other valuable credits: For people who don’t normally file a tax return and didn’t file a 2020 return or use the Non-Filers tool, they can still qualify for important credits they’re eligible for, including the Recovery Rebate Credit (stimulus payment), advance Child Tax Credit or the Earned Income Tax Credit. The IRS encourages people in this group to file a 2021 tax return so they can receive all the credits for which they’re eligible.
Online options for free help; answers to common questions: Use IRS.gov to get answers to tax questions, check a refund status or pay taxes. There’s no wait time or appointment needed — online tools and resources are available 24 hours a day.
Other free options for help: IRS Free File is available to any person or family who earned $73,000 or less in 2021. Qualified taxpayers can also find free one-on-one tax preparation help around the nation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs.
2020 tax return still being processed? Tips to help with filing 2021 tax return: For people whose tax returns from 2020 have not yet been processed, they can still file their 2021 tax returns. For those filing electronically in this group, here’s a critical point. Taxpayers need their Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI, from their most recent tax return when they file electronically. For those waiting on their 2020 tax return to be processed, make sure to enter $0 (zero dollars) for last year’s AGI on the 2021 tax return. Visit IRS.gov for more details.
April 18 tax deadline: The filing deadline is April 18 for most taxpayers; automatic six-month extensions of time to file are available for anyone by filing Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
Feb. 1 Ribbon-Cutting To Rename City Operations Center For Dr. Andrea Harris
The City of Henderson’s operations and service center will be renamed for Dr. Andrea L. Harris at a ribbon-cutting ceremony next week.
The public is invited to attend the event, which will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 1 at 11 a.m. at the facility, located at 900 S. Beckford Dr., according to information from County Manager Terrell Blackmon.
The City Council voted in 2021 to rename the center in honor of Harris, who grew up in Henderson, began her teaching career here and was a community activist on the local and state levels. She died in May 2020.
Harris was an advocate for contractors and the building industry and she also was a civil rights leader, which made the operations center a very fitting site – the operations center is the largest voting location during city and county elections.
She was active locally and participated on a variety of boards, councils and commissions.
Harris received many accolades and awards over the years, including the Order of the Long Leaf Pine from three governors and an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, Bennett College.
In 2018, she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Duke University’s Samuel Dubois Cook Society.
She was a member of the Oxford-Henderson Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and a life member of the NAACP. Harris was a trustee and member of Kesler Temple AME Zion Church. She was small in stature but a forced to be reckoned with. She was always willing to be a “voice” for the underrepresented, breaking down socio-economic, racial, and gender barriers as a broker for change and equality for ALL people.
Montague Receives Governor’s Award For Excellence In Customer Service
North Carolina Forest Service Granville-Vance Area Ranger Robert Montague is a recent recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Customer Service – one of the state’s highest honors. The service aspect of his job is exactly what drives Montague.
“The service part is what is important to me,” Montague said. “I enjoy what I do every day, I enjoy coming to work, I enjoy the challenge of who’s going to call in today, who’s going to come to our office today that needs our help, and being able to fill the need that they have.”
For his tireless commitment to the community he serves, Montague deservingly was a recipient of the Governor’s Award for Excellence in Customer Service. He continues to embody and symbolize what it truly means to be a public servant each day that he puts on the NCFS badge.
Montague’s duties as an area ranger consist of protecting state forests by controlling and investigating wildfires, providing forest management services that help landowners manage their woodlands, and offering educational programs on wildfire prevention and why trees and forests are important throughout the community. He also supervises a team of four. But perhaps his biggest impact is not what his job description entails, but what he means to the community he serves and the significant and lasting impression that he’s made.
“Rob is a community asset, not just a local forest ranger,” said David Cottrell, Chief of Oxford Fire Department. “If he hears something on the radio that he feels he should be involved in – a tree is down, or someone’s been injured by a timber or cutting accident – he’ll call to see if he’s needed on the scene.”
There were 189 emergency response situations involving forest fires in Montague’s area alone during the 2020-2021 fiscal year, many of which ignited outside of traditional working hours. Montague personally responded to over half. Wildfires are only one of the many different types of calls county rangers may receive.
“When that need is there, especially in terms of emergency response, those aren’t scheduled. So, if we can do something to help the people, the cooperators, that’s what we’re here to do,” Montague said.
“He is all about serving his community. A lot of times landowners will call him with questions and he listens to them. He not only offers up the services that the North Carolina Forest Service can provide, but also what he can do to help them,” said supervisor and District Forester Jennifer Roach. “He offers empathy to them and they feel like they’re talking to more of a friend instead of just a government agency.”
Montague has been an NCFS employee for 18 years, all of which has been in service to Granville County with the addition of Vance County two years ago. He was named the 2020 Employee of the Year by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Community Services. To contact the NCFS Granville Vance County Office about programs and services available for landowners, call 919.693.3154 or email granville.ncfs@ncagr.gov
Montague’s story can be viewed on Youtube by following this link:
Positive Cases – Mostly Omicron – Still Rising In Vance, Granville
The Granville Vance Health District reports that 95 percent of all confirmed cases of COVID-19 are identified as the Omicron variant. Positivity rates in both counties remain high – 28.9 percent in Vance and 25 percent in Granville – and GVPH Director Lisa M. Harrison said there likely are more positive cases that simply haven’t confirmed through testing.
In the past 7 days, there have been 717 new cases in Vance County and 1,088 new cases in Granville County.
So far, Vance There have been 12,148 cases of COVID-19 in Granville County and 10,202 cases of COVID-19 in Vance County for a total of 22,350 across the health district.
Granville County has documented 108 deaths as a result of COVID-19 and Vance County has a total of 109 deaths, according to the weekly update from GVPH.
“Nearly 2,000 new cases have been confirmed through labs in the two-county district over the last week alone more than 3,500 in the district over the last two weeks,” Harrison wrote in the update, stressing the need for health offiicals to share the public health recommendations and tools to slow the spread of COVID-19.
“I realize we’re all very tired of navigating the pandemic,” Harrison said. “However, we will continue to work hard in public health to do our job well, to share our why as to the importance of vaccination (including getting your booster doses in!) and the importance of layered mitigation tools including wearing a well-fitting mask, distancing, practicing good hand hygiene, and paying attention to good ventilation in indoor spaces.”
In response to questions about cases within the Butner federal prison complex, Harrison said the most up-to-date numbers show 17 inmates and 15 staff members reported to our communicable disease team as testing positive for COVID-19.
If you feel ill or know you have been exposed to COVID-19, you should seek testing. Stay home when you’re sick to prevent transmission to others, and rapidly notify close contacts and seek healthcare to facilitate access to medical treatment if they are at higher risk for severe outcomes. Public health will continue to evaluate the optimal control strategies for COVID as the response evolves and make strategic changes to prevent or reduce transmission.
Nobles Named President of Local Crime Stoppers
Frankie Nobles has been named president of the Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers, according to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. Nobles is Vance County’s chief of animal services.
Tonya Moore is vice president, and James Baines is secretary of the group. Danny Wright continues to serve as treasurer and Lorraine Watkins remains the state board representative.
The local Crime Stoppers program brings together members of the community, media, law enforcement and businesses to solve crimes.
A statement on the local social media page explains how Crime Stoppers works: “Citizens are encouraged through cash rewards and a promise of anonymity to provide information leading to the arrest and indictment of criminals. Crime Stoppers is governed by a board of volunteer directors dedicated toward making the community a safer place to live and work. A director is elected by the board to oversee the Crime Stoppers Program, receive confidential information about crimes, and to forward the information to the appropriate law enforcement agency.”
Commissioners To Hold Public Hearing Feb. 7 To Begin Planning 2022-23 Budget
The Vance County Board of Commissioners will hold a pre-budget public hearing on Feb. 7, 2022 in the commissioners’ meeting room, 122 Young St.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m., or shortly thereafter, according to a public notice from the county manager’s office.
The board of commissioners will soon begin work on developing the 2022-23 county budget and is interested in receiving suggestions and priorities from residents to help them in the development of the budget. The Feb. 7 public hearing is the first of two public hearings that will be held on the budget. The county manager will submit a recommended budget in May and a second public hearing will be held on the proposed budget on June 6, 2022. The board will adopt the FY 2022-23 budget no later than July 1, 2022.
NCDA Junior Livestock Scholarship Applications Due Mar. 1
Information from NCDA&CS Livestock Marketing Section
Up to 25 $2,000 scholarships are available, in addition to one $2,500 Farm Credit of N.C. Premier Scholarship.Youth who participated in N.C. State Fair junior livestock competitions are eligible to apply for N.C. State Fair Junior Livestock Scholarships. The deadline to apply is March 1.
All youth who exhibited a livestock animal at the State Fair are eligible regardless of species, class or show placement. Scholarships are good for institutes of higher learning, including community colleges and technical schools. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 9 course hours.
The scholarship money is raised through the State Fair’s annual Sale of Champions where grand and reserve grand champions are sold at auction. A percentage of the sale total goes into this youth livestock scholarship program.
“I am proud that this scholarship program has helped many young people and their parents pay for their college education,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “Since the program started in 2015, we have awarded over $300,000 in scholarships.”
Students will need to submit the completed application, including their State Fair junior livestock experience, a 500-word essay, academic achievements and extracurricular activities they are involved in. Youth are eligible to receive the scholarship a maximum of four times.
Applications can be downloaded at www.ncstatefair.org. Completed application packets should be returned to N.C. State Fair, Attn: Livestock Office, 1010 Mail Service Center, Raleigh, NC 27699-1010. For questions, contact Neil Bowman at by email at neil.bowman@ncagr.gov.