Cooperative Extension With Paul McKenzie: What Works in the Garden
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County Water Expansion Project Continues On Track; Construction Maybe In Spring 2023
The regional water project continues to move forward, and county commissioners last week approved an amendment to the engineering services agreement as part of its compliance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture review process.
“We are still working with USDA to get to the point where they will authorize us to go to bid on the project,” Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen told WIZS News on Monday.
McMillen said if all goes well, the county will be able to finalize one remaining easement agreement that is necessary to gain USDA authorization to start the bid process.
“We are hopeful that would put us in position to get to construction in the spring of next year if all falls in place,” he said. The Phase 1B part of the project involves installing about 25 miles of water line to the east side of the town of Kittrell – that includes Bobbitt Road, Abbott Road, Julian Smith Road, Kittrell Road, S. Chavis Road, Dr. Finch Road, parts of Dick Smith Road and others in the area, McMillen explained.
The total cost is estimated at $6.5 million and includes $1,672,000 in USDA loan funds, $2.8 million in grant funds and $2 million in county ARPA funds.
The county has been working on this phase of the project since it took ownership of the Kittrell Water Association in 2018.
The Local Skinny! United Way Yard Sale
Whether you’re de-cluttering with a purpose, or whether you are finally taking a moment to clean out the garage or closet, Desiree Brooks says the items you are parting with be a big help to the community.
Bring your gently used furniture, home décor items, electronics, baby and kid items and more to the United Way office this Friday in advance of a yard sale to raise money for nonprofit agencies.
Brooks is president of the local United Way, which supports nonprofits in Vance and Warren counties. This group is 100 percent volunteer organization, and though COVID-19 derailed yard sales for the past couple of years, Brooks told John C. Rose on Monday’s The Local Skinny! that the agency is getting back into the swing of things.
Volunteers will happily accept donations between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16 at the United Way office, located at 715 S. Garnett St.
“All the money stays local,” Brooks said, and encourages the community to make their donations – either with goods for the yard sale or by visiting https://unitedwayvance.org/united and clicking on the Give button. The yard sale itself will be held Saturday, Sept. 24 at the United Way office on Garnett Street.
Previous yard sales have netted a couple of thousand dollars for United Way, which in turn allocates money to area agencies. “We want to be able to allocate more,” Brooks said. “We realize the organizations depend on grants…we want these fundraisers to be as successful as possible.”
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TownTalk: McGregor Hall Continues Positive Impact With Upcoming Shows
From the stage, actors delight and entertain audiences with their performances. But the way Mark Hopper sees it, the local and regional actors who perform at McGregor Hall have important roles off-stage as well – Hopper sees them as ambassadors for the regional venue and for the community of Henderson, too.
Rehearsals have begun for the upcoming production of “The Little Mermaid” and Hopper old John C. Rose during Monday’s TownTalk that close to 100 people are – or will be- coming into Henderson seven nights a week for rehearsal. “And that’s just the cast that’s participating,” he said. When cast members go back to their home communities and talk up the shows or just the beauty of McGregor Hall, they promote ticket sales and more visitors to the area.
“The reach of that cannot be overstated,” said Hopper, who serves as McGregor Hall’s director of operations and heads the board of directors.
Henderson residents should be proud to say that McGregor Hall brings world-class entertainment right into the community. “It’s extremely important to us that we be a venue for all in the community…it’s part of our mission that we provide something for everyone, and do it affordably,” Hopper said.
The McGregor Hall Live! Series kicks off later this month with a show called “Smokey & Me,” featuring Charl Brown, who performs the biggest hits of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles on Sept. 25.
“This guy is pretty amazing,” Hopper said, calling Brown “the real deal.”
McGregor Hall patrons can purchase tickets to all five shows in the 2022-23 series for $115, which Hopper said is a real bargain.
How can the venue attract such a high caliber of talent? Lots of agreements with national companies that license productions and lots of phone calls with agents and other groups that represent touring companies and musical groups.
“We have to pay a pretty good chunk of change just to have permission to present it,” Hopper said of the Disney production. But these large-scale, professional productions help to showcase the talent on the stage, and also, well, the stage itself. “We’ve really made a name for ourselves here,” Hopper said of McGregor Hall.
“We really have an all-star cast,” he continued, adding that 2017 Miss North Carolina Victoria Huggins returns to McGregor Hall as Ariel. Jonathan O’Geary has the role of King Triton.
In addition to the Smokey Robinson tribute and the fall production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid,” Hopper said McGregor Hall will host a holiday concert by the Raleigh Ringers and America’s Got Talent finalists and audience favorites Sons of Serandip in February, followed by Ballet Magnificat in April.
Although it’s not a part of the McGregor Hall Live! Series, a special concert, sponsored by Mast Drug, is set for January 28, 2023, Hopper said. The Oak Ridge Boys will perform at McGregor Hall and tickets will go on sale later this week, he said.
“That was a big catch,” Hopper said, adding that it’s taken several years to land the group, because they continue a rigorous touring schedule. “They do a lot of touring with The Gaithers,” Hopper said. “They haven’t slowed down one bit.”
Visit https://www.mcgregorhall.org/ for a complete listing of show dates and times, and to view videos of some of the groups that will take the stage locally during the 2022-23 season.
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WIZS Radio Local News Audio 09-12-22 Noon
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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland: Fire Ants
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Epsom Park Closer To Reality With $434K Grant Award
-information courtesy of Franklin County Public Information Officer James Hicks
The future of Epsom Park became clearer after crucial funding was announced last week.
The North Carolina Parks and Recreation Authority awarded more than $17 million in grant funding to provide support to 39 local parks and recreation projects through N.C. Parks and Recreation Trust Fund (PARTF). Franklin County will receive $434,625 for Epsom Park.
The county’s board of commissioners adopted the Epsom Park Master Plan, approved the application and matching funds for PARTF grant, and added the project to the county’s Capital Improvement Plan at the Mar. 21, 2022 board meeting.
“The development of this park will enrich the lives of the residents of the Epsom community by offering a safe facility that encourages creative learning while promoting physical activities for healthy living,” said Franklin County Parks & Recreation Director Oliver Greene.
Epsom Park’s master plan includes a playground, a picnic shelter, a large multipurpose field, and a paved walking path – all to be included in the PARTF fund project. An outdoor fitness area and a 9-hole disc golf course are included on the master plan as future facilities.
PARTF grants require a 50/50 match from the requesting local government. Franklin County’s match is $434,625.
With outdoor recreational opportunities like V.E. & Lydia F. Owens Park and the future Epsom Park along with revitalized downtowns and a robust expansion of rural broadband internet, it’s no surprise that Franklin County is ranked as the state’s fourth fastest-growing county over the next two decades.
“Our parks and recreation areas are so valuable to our communities and they’ve become more popular than ever,” Governor Roy Cooper said in a press release earlier this week announcing the grant awards. “These projects we’re funding…will give people even more opportunities in North Carolina to build healthier and happier lives.”
Stay updated with information from Franklin County by visiting www.franklincountync.gov; signup for email updates using the “Get Email Updates” button on the homepage.
Officials Begin Mailing Absentee Ballots To Signal Countdown To Nov. 8 Election
-information courtesy of N.C. State Board of Elections
Beginning today, North Carolina’s county boards of elections wile begin mailing absentee ballot to voters who request them for the 2022 general election, signaling the start of voting midterm elections.
Election Day is 61 days away – November 8.
Contests in this election include a U.S. Senate seat, all 14 U.S. House seats, two seats on the N.C. Supreme Court, four seats on the NC Court of Appeals, all 170 seats in the N.C. General Assembly and numerous judicial and local seats across the state.
As of Thursday, Sept. 8, more than 53,000 N.C. voters already have requested an absentee ballot for the general election. The state currently has more than 7.35 million registered voters.
County Boards of Elections are busy registering new voters, preparing ballots, testing voting equipment, hiring and training poll workers and preparing early voting sites and Election Day precincts, among other responsibilities, according to a press statement from the executive director of the State Board of Elections Karen Brinson Bell.
“We encourage all eligible North Carolinians to register to vote and to make a plan now about when and where they will cast their ballot in 2022,” Bell said in a press statement issued Thursday. “Your state and county elections officials are here to provide accurate information to help you safely and securely exercise your right to vote. We will make sure your vote counts.”
Sample ballots are available through the State Board’s Voter Search tool. Voters should locate their voter record and scroll down to the “Your Sample Ballot” section. (Note: Sample ballots are posted by county as soon as they are available.)
How to Request a Ballot
In North Carolina, all registered voters may request an absentee-by-mail ballot. Voters may do so:
- Online at the C. Absentee Ballot Portal.On the portal, select “Option 1 — Request an Absentee Ballot.”
- On paper using the English N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2022 (fillable PDF)or the Spanish N.C. Absentee Ballot Request Form for 2022 (fillable PDF).
Voters requesting a ballot must provide their date of birth and one of the following to verify their identity:
- North Carolina driver’s license number or NCDMV-issued identification card number; or
- Last four digits of Social Security number.
The request form must be signed by either the voter or the voter’s near relative, legal guardian or person assisting the voter due to a disability. A typed signature is not allowed.
The paper absentee ballot request form can be mailed or returned in person to your county board of elections. Your county board of elections must receive the completed and signed absentee request form by 5 p.m. Tuesday, November 1.
For more information, see Vote By Mail and Detailed Instructions to Vote By Mail.
Also starting Friday, the absentee ballot portal will open for military and overseas voters, as well as visually impaired voters, to receive and return their absentee ballot through the online service.
Click North Carolina Absentee Ballot Portal for more information and Military and Overseas Voting to learn more about this process.
Absentee voting is safe and secure. For more information on the security of absentee voting, see Statement About Absentee Ballot Security in North Carolina.
Important Dates and Deadlines: 2022 General Election
- Tuesday, September 13: State Board meets to adopt early voting sites and schedules for more than a dozen counties that have not confirmed those schedules yet. Details: State Board Meeting: September 13, 2022 | NCSBE
- Friday, October 14: Regular voter registration deadline for voters who want to vote on Election Day. Details: How to Register.
- Thursday, October 20: One-stop, in-person early voting begins. Eligible individuals may register and vote at any one-stop early voting site in their county. For early voting sites and schedules, see One-Stop Early Voting Site Search.
- Tuesday, November 1: Absentee ballot request deadline. The State Board encourages voters to request their absentee ballot as early as possible to ensure enough time to complete and return the ballot.
- Saturday, November 5: In-person early voting and registration ends at 3 p.m.
- Tuesday, November 8: Election Day. Polls are open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Voters should go to their designated Election Day polling place. Find your polling place through the Voter Search Absentee ballots received after 5 p.m. November 8 must be postmarked by Election Day and received by mail by 5 p.m. Monday, November 14. Ballots withouta postmark must be received by Nov. 8.
- Friday, Nov. 18: County canvass day; results are certified at the county level.
- Tuesday, Nov. 29: State canvass day; final results are certified statewide.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 09-09-22 Noon
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Granville Announces Drew Cummings As New County Manager
-information courtesy of Granville Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood
The Granville County Board of Commissioners has selected Drew Cummings as the new county manager. Cummings has been an assistant county manager and chief of staff in Durham County for 14 years. He will begin his new job on Oct. 17.
“I am so excited to come to Granville County and look forward to working with the commissioners, staff, and the community to continue building on the strong groundwork that has already been laid,” Cummings said.
Cummings is a native of Kalamazoo, Michigan and graduated from Kalamazoo Central High School. He and his wife, Amy, have three school-aged children and in his spare time Cummings enjoys exercise, woodwork, and singing in his church choir.
“The Granville County Board of Commissioners is unanimous in its selection of Drew Cummings,” said Tony Cozart, board chair. “His educational level and extensive experience make Mr. Cummings the desired candidate to serve as our next county manager.”
Before his time in Durham County, Cummings, worked in other areas of municipal government and was a middle school teacher for seven years before entering work in local government, according to a press statement from Granville County Public Information Officer Terry Hobgood..
While in Durham County, Cummings focused on a wide range of issues including economic development, education, transportation, affordable housing, and homelessness. He has been a member of the International City-County Management Association (ICMA) as well as the North Carolina City and County Managers Association since 2004.
Cummings achieved his ICMA Credentialed Manager status in 2021 and is also a 2015 graduate of the UNC School of Government’s Public Executive Leadership Academy. He is a graduate of Harvard University, holding a BA in Government and received his Master’s in Public Policy from the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy.
Cummings comes to us with outstanding references, is very well trained in county administration, and has shown throughout his career that he is a person who has committed himself to getting results. His longevity with Durham County shows that he is willing to ingrain himself in a community and weather a few storms while moving towards a long-range vision of success. As a longtime Durham resident, Mr. Cummings is already familiar with this region and knows the needs and opportunities for success that we have in Granville,” Cozart said.
“I look forward to getting to know the community and staff much better in the coming months as we re-commit ourselves to the goals of responsive, innovative, efficient government and seek to seize the positive out of all the change we have seen over the past few years. It is a true honor.”