Archive for August, 2021

Sheriff offers tips for safe Labor Day holiday

With the approach of the Labor Day weekend, Granville County Sheriff Charles R. Noblin, Jr. asks all residents to join him in making this holiday a safe one.

Traditionally during the Labor Day holiday, North Carolina roadways experience one of the highest traffic flows of the year as families travel for end-of-summer vacations and a three-day-weekend. With some of the most heavily traveled highways located in or near Granville County, the Sheriff reminds everyone to follow these safe driving tips while on the road:

• Always shift attention every few seconds, constantly scanning the road ahead and behind. Never stare blankly ahead or fix your gaze on one point on the road.
• When passing a vehicle, always glance at the ground beside the front wheel of the car you intend to pass. That way, you will know instantly if the car is about to veer, giving you an extra few seconds to respond.
• Also when passing, pull out into the opposite lane of traffic while you are still well behind the car in front. This should give you some time and space to build up speed, and will enable you to pull back into your own lane, should the need arise.
• Never cut abruptly out of your lane into the opposite lane. Always signal your intentions with your brake lights, turn signals, horn and/or headlights so that other drivers will see you well before you change course.
• Always “aim high” in steering, glancing frequently at points well ahead. Not only will this help in steering, but will also help check the position of vehicles in front, as well as oncoming traffic.
• Never follow too close. Remember that, as speed increases, it takes substantially longer to stop. Also, remember that it’s good to have an extra cushion of space in front if you are being tailgated, on a slippery road, or in low visibility conditions.

“I would like to remind all drivers to also practice the ‘Golden Rule’ when driving,” Sheriff Noblin said. “Be courteous and tolerant of other drivers. Whether at home or heading to vacation destinations, let’s make this Labor Day weekend a safe one on our roads.”

Sheriff Charles R. Noblin, Jr.

The Granville County Sheriff’s Office is located at 525 New Commerce Drive in Oxford. For safety concerns or questions, please call 919-693-3213 or send emails to granville.sheriff@granvillecounty.org.

Labor Day fireworks show scheduled at Lake Holt in Butner

Granville County Government is proud to support the Labor Day fireworks show scheduled for Friday, Sept. 3. The City of Creedmoor and the Town of Butner, with assistance from Granville County, the City of Oxford and the Town of Stem, will host this event at Lake Holt, located on Old Highway 75 in Butner. 

The evening will include several fun activities such as a DJ spinning crowd-favorite songs and plenty of concession stand offerings. Everyone who plans to attend must be through the gates by 7:45 p.m. There will be no admittance after that time and vehicles will not be able to leave until the show is over.

Attendees are strongly encouraged to bring a lawn chair or blanket and a flashlight to assist them in the walk back to their vehicle after the show. Please note that alcoholic beverages and/or open flames will not be permitted on site. Event organizers also request that all pets be left at home, due to the loud nature of the fireworks.

Parking and security will be organized by officers of Butner Public Safety, the Creedmoor and Oxford Police Departments, the Granville County Sheriff’s Office, Creedmoor and Stem Fire Departments and the Junior Volunteer Fire Department.  Please see the map below for designated parking areas. 

Also note that there is no scheduled rain date. If inclement weather prevents the show from taking place, it will be cancelled.

For more details, please contact the City of Creedmoor at 919-764-1013 or the Town of Butner at 919-575-3109.

Click on image to enlarge.

Commissioner Tim Karan completes leadership training

Granville County Commissioner Tim Karan (District 6) has successfully completed Advanced Leadership Corps (ALC) training by the School of Government at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The week-long residential program, offered annually to local elected officials, provides opportunities for participants to learn more about their own behaviors and practices while strengthening their abilities to lead and to govern.

“With the ever-changing political climate, it was important for me to take a deep and introspective look at my leadership style and personality traits to become an even more effective community leader,” Commissioner Karan said. “This course offered me the self-analysis to do that and helped me to learn more about topics that impact the lives, health and safety of those I serve. I am grateful to have had this opportunity.”

More than 140 local elected officials from across North Carolina have completed this leadership development training.

ALC is an intensive and selective program designed by the School’s Center of Public Leadership and Governance and is supported by generous donations from Prudential Financial. Through this financial support, participants are enrolled and can attend at little cost to the local unit of government. The North Carolina Association of County Commissioners (NCACC) also provides cost offsets for county elected officials to attend.

To learn more about this program, please visit https://www.sog.unc.edu.

Local volunteer fire departments receive state grant funding

Eleven local fire departments were recently approved for grant funding totaling more than $176,000 through the Volunteer Fire Department Fund. A ceremonial check presentation was held on Aug. 23 at the Granville County Expo and Convention Center, with awards ranging from $6,639 to $30,000. N.C. Insurance Commissioner/State Fire Marshal Mike Causey and Chief State Fire Marshal/Assistant Commissioner Brian Taylor made a scheduled stop in Granville County to officially announce the awards, which are part of a statewide program assisting more than 500 volunteer fire departments in North Carolina.

Granville County fire departments awarded grant funding through this program include:

• * Antioch-Fishing Creek Volunteer Fire Department, $11,000;
• * Brassfield Volunteer Fire Department, $18,450;
• * Bullock Volunteer Fire Department, $30,000;
• * Corinth Volunteer Fire Department, $6,639.31;
• * Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, $15,927;
• * Creedmoor Volunteer Fire Department, $24,737.50;
• * Granville Rural Fire Department, $15,568.50;
• * Providence Community Fire Department, $8,629.12;
• * Stem Community Fire Department and EMS, $11,471.46;
• * Total Community Fire Department of Berea, $10,454; and
• * Virgilina Volunteer Fire Association, $23,608.37.

Grants awarded were 100 percent of the amounts requested by each fire department during the application process.

The Volunteer Fire Department Fund was created to assist North Carolina’s volunteer fire departments in purchasing equipment and making capital expenditures and is administered through the N.C. Department of Insurance/Office of the State Fire Marshal. Fire departments approved for funding are required to provide a dollar-for-dollar match, up to $30,000. Eligible volunteer fire departments must be rated/certified by the N.C. Department of Insurance.

Fire Services in Granville County are provided by 12 volunteer and two paid departments. Each department maintains and provides 24-hour fire protection services.

Notice of Special Joint Meeting on August 25

All interested persons please take notice that the Granville County Board of Commissioners and the Granville County Board of Education will hold a Special Joint Meeting on Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021 at 9 a.m. in the main gymnasium at South Granville High School at 701 North Crescent Drive in Creedmoor. The purpose is for an initial meeting regarding redistricting.

-Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board

Granville County student named a winner of national art contest

Artwork submitted by a student of Granville County Public Schools has been selected by the National Association of Counties (NACo) to be included in a 2022 calendar distributed nationwide.

Brim Royster, a junior at J.F. Webb High School, is one of 18 winners selected from a pool of entries submitted through local county governments across the nation. The “I Love My County Because…” art competition, sponsored by NACo, was held for students in grades 1 through 12, who were asked to explain in words and in art why “their county matters.” Royster’s entry depicts his strong family connections in the area.

J.F. Webb High School art teacher Ophelia Staton was recently notified of the selection.

“I am so excited for Brim and for our art program,” Staton remarked. “We have some talented students, and this recognition means so much for our school and – of course – for Brim. We are very proud of him. His talent is sure to take him very far.”

In addition to being featured in the NACo calendar, Royster will receive prizes and a certificate, as well as having his artwork published in the NACo newspaper “County News,” which is distributed to county members in all 50 states. More than 3,000 U.S. counties are active NACo members, including Granville County Government.

“Granville County was well represented in this contest,” said Granville County Board of Commissioners Chair Sue Hinman. “We thank all the students who participated, as well as the art teachers who submitted entries on behalf of their students. We are also grateful to Granville County Public Schools, who assisted us in this project.”

Students from J.F. Webb, Tar River Elementary and Creedmoor Elementary submitted artwork for the 2021 competition, which was introduced this year as part of the “Counties Matter” campaign. All entries are currently on display at the Harris Exhibit Hall of the Granville County Historical Society Museum, 1 Museum Lane in Oxford.

Quorum of Granville County Commissioners may be present on Aug. 19

PUBLIC NOTICE

A quorum of the Granville County Board of Commissioners may be present on Thursday, Aug. 19 2021 at 3 p.m. for a tour of the Granville County Courthouse, located at 101 Main Street in Oxford. For more information, please contact the County Manager’s Office at 919-693-5240.

-Debra A. Weary, Clerk to the Board

County Commissioners attend national conference

Granville County’s Board of Commissioners attended the National Association of Counties (NACo) Annual Conference in July. The conference, held in Prince Georges County, Maryland, included elected and appointed county officials from across the country to discuss current issues and topics of interest to counties in all 50 states.

Discussions and presentations scheduled during the conference included topics of technology, workforce development, community health, public safety, transportation, the environment, recreation, education, public land use, agriculture, finance and others.

Among those addressing the conference and serving as featured speakers were U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris and Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House of Representatives.

Founded in 1935, the National Association of Counties brings county officials together to exchange ideas and build leadership skills. Granville County is an active NACo member and is one of more than 3,000 counties included in the organization, which advocates for county needs and prioritizes local and regional issues in federal policy making.

Pictured are County Commissioners Zelodis Jay (District 1), Sue Hinman (District 3), David Smith (District 2), Tony Cozart (District 4), Jimmy Gooch (District 7) and Tim Karan (District 6) with Dr. Deborah Birx,  who served as White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator under President Donald Trump. (Not pictured but also attending the conference was Comm. Russ May of District 5)

To learn more about NACo, please visit www.naco.org.

Granville County Sheriff offers back to school safety tips

Granville County Sheriff Charles R. Noblin, Jr. offers safety tips for students, parents and residents as the new school year begins.

If riding the bus, students should:

• * Stand a distance away until the bus comes to a complete stop and the door opens:
• * Make eye contact with the driver to be sure he/she sees you;
• * Never walk behind the bus;
• * Use the handrail when entering and exiting the bus;
• * Be sure that clothing, drawstrings or book bags do not get caught on the handrail or in the door when entering and exiting the bus.
•  

When biking:

• * Always give proper signals, keeping a firm grip on the handlebar;
• * Make sure you obey all traffic signs and signals, stopping completely at stop signs and always looking both ways before starting out again;
• * Allow plenty of room for a safe stop. Never follow cars of other bikes too closely;
• * Only one person belongs on a bike. Never let a second person ride with you.
•  

When walking:

• * Remember to travel with a friend, whenever possible.
• * Don’t tell anyone your name or address if you don’t know them;
• * Never take money, candy or anything else from a stranger;
• * Always tell your parents or a teacher if a stranger has approached you;
• * If you think you’re in danger or don’t feel safe, get to the nearest public store or home of someone you know as quickly as you can.
•  

Motorists should:

• * Take extreme caution when traveling in a school zone;
• * Be alert to the possibility of youngsters walking or riding bikes in the road;
• * Slow down and prepare to stop whenever yellow school bus lights are flashing;
• * Never pass a school bus when there are flashing red lights and the stop arm is extended;
• * Learn and obey North Carolina school bus laws.
•  

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an average of 128 fatalities in school transportation-related accidents have been reported each year.

“Practicing safety and using precautions every day can help save our kids from serious injury,” Sheriff Noblin said. “We should all be extremely cautious when traveling, especially before and after school hours.”

The Granville County Sheriff’s Office can be reached at 919-693-3213 for any safety concerns.

Learn more about popcorn with NC Cooperative Extension

NC Cooperative Extension – Granville County Center – will host a tour of a local popcorn plot with Crops Agent Gary Cross on Aug. 24. From 9 until 11 a.m., participants can hear about the history of popcorn and see more than 140 varieties of locally-grown popcorn.

This is also a great networking opportunity.

The NC Cooperative Extension, Granville County office is located at 125 Oxford Outer Loop Road in Oxford. Call 919-603-1350 or 336-599-1195 to register or for more information.