Archive for October, 2019

Granville County applies for grant funding

Granville County Government is applying for $300,000 in funding from the N.C. Department of Commerce to help bring the former Granville Furniture building, located at 117 Main Street in Oxford, to standards needed to operate Strong Arm Baking. Work includes, but is not limited to, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, sprinklers, painting, exhaust doors, ceiling, flooring, tile, countertops, stairs, framing, etc. The requested funding will assist with costs of these renovations, as well as equipment and an environmental review.

Once awarded, the state will forward funds to the County, who will then loan the money to Strong Arm Baking for the work needed to complete the project. The loan is forgivable if the company meets the requirement of creating nineteen (19) jobs, with at least 60 percent of the jobs going to persons residing in low- to moderate-income housing.

A public hearing was held during the Aug. 5 meeting of the Granville County Board of Commissioners. At this meeting, Commissioners approved proceeding with this grant. Although the State will be awarding the funds, they are actually federal funds administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), which requires that grantees have certain planning documents in place throughout the duration of the project. Though this is not a housing project, some of the required documents are housing in nature. These documents were approved during the Oct. 21 meeting of the Granville County Board of Commissioners so that the grant process can continue.

The downtown building, which has been vacant until purchased by Strong Arm, was originally constructed in the 1890s.

Brides on Wheels (BOWs) interest meeting scheduled

An interest meeting for local wedding vendors is scheduled for Nov. 10 from 1 until 5 p.m. through the Granville County Tourism Development Authority (TDA). Participants will have an opportunity to network as they learn more about the annual “Brides on Wheels” (BOWs) tour, now entering its third season.

The meeting will include a visit to a new wedding venue in Oxford, Shadowing Oaks, located on John Watkins Road. Those in attendance can sample refreshments from area wedding vendors, with a presentation scheduled for 3 p.m. to share information about the BOWs tour which will take place next spring. Also discussed will be another marketing opportunity, participation in the “Forever Bridal Show” in Raleigh, scheduled for January 2020.

“We want to ensure that the BOWs tour grows and will be a successful event for venues and wedding vendors in Granville and surrounding areas,” said Angela Allen, TDA Director. “This meeting will not only offer a chance to network with other vendors, but is a great way to learn more about avenues for marketing and for showcasing Granville County as a choice wedding location.”

Those interested in participating in this meeting should contact Director Allen by Nov. 4 at 919-693-6125 or at angela.allen@granvillecounty.org.

“File of Life” pouches help make seconds count

Medical emergencies can happen at any time, and when they do, confusion can often be a result. That’s why the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging, in partnership with the Granville County Senior Center, emergency responders, businesses and faith-based organizations, are sponsoring the local “File of Life” project to help make seconds count.

When first responders arrive on an emergency scene, they usually have no information about the person in need. Does the patient have prior medical conditions or allergies? Are they on medication? How are family members to be contacted? “File of Life” can provide easy and convenient access to information that will help answer these questions, allowing emergency teams to quickly begin the best possible treatment, notify loved ones and pass information on to awaiting physicians at the emergency room.

Since 1995, more than 5,000 communities across the country have implemented a “File of Life” program, gaining the support of national and state civic organizations such as the American Red Cross, the National Council on Aging and the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP). These information cards – in the form of refrigerator magnet pouches and personal-sized sleeves for wallets, purses or glove boxes – are now available locally through the Granville County Senior Center, the Granville County Sheriff’s Office, Granville County Emergency Services and the Creedmoor Police Department, as well as the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging in Henderson.

Limited sponsorship opportunities are also available to local organizations who would like their name/logo on the front of the information card. If interested, contact Nancy Francis, Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging Director, at 252-436-2040.

Where did “Crime Stoppers” originate?

October is Crime Prevention Month, and Granville County Crime Stoppers is committed to solving crimes and helping make our communities safer all year long. On a national level, Crime Stoppers had its start in 1976 when a young man was shot to death during a robbery at an Albuquerque, New Mexico gas station. With no witnesses coming  forward to provide information, it appeared that the senseless crime would remain a mystery – until Detective Greg MacAleese came up with an innovative idea.

MacAleese, who worked for an investigative newspaper before becoming a police officer, helped produce a video that re-enacted the crime, guaranteeing a cash award (from his own pocket) and anonymity to anyone who was willing to provide a lead that would help identify those responsible for the robbery and the murder of Michael Carmen, who was a gas station employee, a college student, and was two weeks away from marriage. 

The detective’s plan worked. Within a few hours after the video was broadcast on television, a caller provided a tip. The re-enactment had triggered a memory of a loud noise in the vicinity of the gas station. The caller also reported that he had seen a car drive off shortly afterwards, and that the car had belonged to a resident in a nearby apartment complex.

Within 72 hours, MacAleese and a team of detectives had investigated and arrested two men, charging them with the murder of Carmen and a string of armed robberies throughout the area. Other tips followed as a result of the video re-enactment that led to solving other crimes in Albuquerque, which had one of the highest per capita crime rates in the country at that time.

For his efforts, Detective MacAleese was named the country’s Police Officer of the Year. His idea of public involvement led to the formation of the very first “Crime Stoppers” organization in the U.S.,  and the subsequent establishment of many others. Today, there are Crime Stoppers hotlines in every state and in more than twenty nations around the world.

Granville County Crime Stoppers is a made up of a volunteer citizen board of directors that works directly with law enforcement. With a goal of making the streets safer for our families and our neighborhoods, Crime Stoppers is committed to help make Granville County a safer place to live, work and raise a family by assisting law enforcement agencies in the fight against crime. 

The Crime Stoppers hotline is available seven days a week, 24 hours a day to those who would like to provide confidential information about local crimes. If you know something, say something! Call 919-693-3100 to provide tips that can help solve crimes, or contact the Granville County Sheriff’s Office at 919-693-3213. Rewards of up to $1,000 may be offered for tips that lead to an arrest and/or conviction. 

Granville County Sheriff’s Office offers Halloween Safety Tips

Halloween is here, and the Granville County Sheriff’s Office offers some safety tips for children, parents and motorists.

Tips for a safe and enjoyable Halloween include:

FOR PARENTS:

• Make sure your children are properly supervised while out;
• Know the route your children will be taking if you aren’t going with them;
• Make sure you set a time for them to be home;
• Be sure children know their home phone number and address, in case of an emergency.
• Tell your children to never go into a stranger’s house;
• Make sure your children stay out of the street while walking;
• Choose a brightly colored costume for your child, or one that is easy to see in the dark;
• Be sure costumes include no sharp objects;
• Talk to your children about the importance of staying together as a group;
• Carefully inspect all food and candy before letting your child eat it. When in doubt, throw it out!

FOR CHILDREN:

• Carry a flashlight and/or wear a glow-stick necklace and glow-stick bracelets;
• Keep a safe distance from moving cars;
• Cross at street corners, not diagonally across an intersection and never between parked cars;
• Obey all traffic signals;
• Walk and never run;
• Do not take shortcuts through back yards, alleys or parks;
• Only visit homes with porch lights on;
• Don’t go inside anyone’s home; instead remain on the porch at all times;
• Don’t accept rides in cars with strangers;
• Don’t eat any treats until your parents have inspected them;

FOR MOTORISTS:

• Consider driving at least five miles per hour under the speed limit, especially in residential areas;
• Turn on your headlights to make yourself more visible – even during daylight hours;
• Don’t use high beams – it prevents traffic coming in the opposite direction from seeing trick-or-treaters on the roadsides or sidewalks;
• Obey all traffic signs and signals;
• Watch for children crossing the street;
• Look out for those who may dart between parked cars or shrubbery;
• Carefully enter and exit driveways;
• Don’t park in the street unless it is necessary. Give children and other motorists plenty of room;
• Be careful backing up. If possible, have someone stand behind your vehicle to make sure no children are walking behind you.
• Be alert, be aware and be safe!

Following these safety tips will ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable Halloween!

Halloween events scheduled for all Granville County residents

Granville County offers many options for Halloween fun this year. Check out these events for all ages!

Family Outdoor Movie Night, Oct. 25

On Friday, Oct. 25 at 7 p.m., the South Branch Library in Creedmoor will host Family Outdoor Movie Night. Movie-goers can enjoy popcorn, s’mores and other snacks as they watch the feature film, “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” Please bring your own outdoor chairs. The South Branch Library is located at 1547 South Campus Drive and is one of four branches of the Granville County Library System. For more details, call 919-528-1752.

Pumpkin Decorating Contest, Oct. 28 through Oct. 31

Carve your own pumpkin, then bring it to the Richard H. Thornton Library in Oxford for a Halloween Pumpkin Contest. All pumpkins entered in the contest will be on display from Oct 28 until Oct. 31, with pumpkins judged on Thursday, Oct. 31 – just in time for Halloween. Age groups for awards and prizes include children (up to 12 years old), teens (ages 13 through 18) and adults, ages 19 and up. Contact Amy Carlson or Stefani Perry of the Granville County Library System for more details, 919-693-1121.

Halloween Costume Contest, Oct. 29

On Oct. 29, grab a friend and come prepared to create an assigned costume from paper, tape, trash bags and other random objects as the Thornton Library hosts a Halloween Costume Challenge. The fun starts at 5 p.m., and all work will be judged. The two best costumes will win a special prize. Call the library for details at 919-693-1121.

Halloween Line Dancing, Oct. 31

The Creative Lifelong Learning Program of Granville County Senior Services has scheduled a Halloween line dancing class for Thursday, Oct. 31 from 2 until 3:30 p.m. The class, instructed by Tracie Green, is FREE to all participants and will be held at the Senior Center in Oxford, located at 107 Lanier Street. Costumes are encouraged and will be judged by categories. Call the Senior Center at 919-693-1930 for more details.

Just for Seniors, Halloween fun

‘Tis the season for tricks, treats and Fall fun at all three Senior Centers in Granville County. On Oct. 29, the North Granville Senior Center in Stovall will host their annual Halloween Party beginning at 10 a.m. Seniors enjoy delicious treats and Halloween games. Costumes are encouraged and will be judged for fun prizes. On Wednesday, Oct. 30. The South Granville Senior Center in Creedmoor will play Carnival Bingo. The fun starts at 10:15 a.m. And on Thursday, Oct. 31. Trick or Treat Bingo will be featured at the Granville County Senior Center in Oxford. This “Bingo with a Twist” event will begin at 10 a.m. and will include “trick or treat” prizes for winning participants. For more details about any of these events, call 919-693-1930.

Commissioners approve economic incentive package for Ontic

After holding a public hearing, the Granville County Board of Commissioners – at their Oct. 21 meeting – approved an economic incentive package for Project Sunrise/Ontic that includes the required match of 5 percent ($25,000) for a $500,000 Building Reuse Grant.

The North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Rural Economic Development Division’s Building Re-Use program was created to spur economic activity and job creation by assisting in the productive use of buidings in rural areas. Granville County had requested grant assistance, on behalf of Ontic Engineering and Manufacturing Inc., to aid in the company’s renovation plans. Approximately 126 new jobs will be created as a result of this planned expansion.

Maximum costs of the county-funded improvements will be up to $110,000, in accordance with the County’s funding policy. 

Ontic, a global aerospace company, is located at 1176 Telecom Drive in the Butner/Creedmoor area. The official announcement of the expansion was made by the N.C Department of Commerce at the Ontic facility on Oct. 4.

Urgent Repair Program to aid area residents

The Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Governments (COG) has been awarded $200,000 by the North Carolina Housing Finance Agency, under the 2019 Cycle of the Urgent Repair Program, to assist residents in Granville, Franklin, Vance, Warren and Person Counties. 

The Urgent Repair Program finances emergency home repairs for homeowners who are elderslyor have special needs, and who have household incomes below 50 percent of the median for the area. Only repairs that address imminent threats to the lives and/or safety of occupants of the dwelling unit or accessibility modifications will be performed under this program. 

Through the Urgent Repair Program, one or two critical problems may be repaired, but the entire house is not addressed. Examples of work typically done under this program include roof or HVAC system repair, well or septic system repairs, adding accessibility features like ramps, bathroom grab bars and wider doors. 

The COG will provide assistance to those whose homes are selected for repairs in the form of a loan. Homeowners will receive an unsecured, deferred, interest-free loan, forgiven at a rate of $2,000 per year until the principal balance is reduced to zero. The maximum amount of the loan available is $10,000.

Applications are now being accepted, with a deadline of Nov. 1 at 5 p.m. Clients to be assisted will be selected by Jan, 1, 2020.

Applications and additional program information are available at www.kerrtarcog.org or by calling 252-436-2040. A total of 18 households are projected to be assisted during this cycle.