GRANVILLE COUNTY EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT: Granville County Emergency Management will host a  SKYWARN Severe Weather Spotter Training at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center on Tuesday,  April 11 at 6:30 p.m. The training is free and open to the public and registration is not required. 

SKYWARN is a National Weather Service (NWS) program of trained volunteer severe weather spotters.  SKYWARN volunteers support their local community by providing the NWS with timely and accurate severe  weather reports. These reports, when integrated with modern NWS technology, are used to inform  communities of the proper actions to take as severe weather threatens. The key focus of the program is to save  lives and property through the use of the observations and reports of trained volunteers. 

For more information, contact Granville County Emergency Management at 919-603-1310.

GRANVILLE COUNTY SOIL AND WATER: Granville County Soil and Water Office will sponsor two Granville County students to attend the annual conservation workshop at NC State University this summer from June 25 – 30.  

The Resource Conservation Workshop is a weeklong program that involves study and hands-on participation in a wide range of conservation topics. Students are housed at NC State University campus dormitories under the guidance of live-in counselors. The ideal applicant will come prepared to learn about natural resources and their management in today’s global environment. A sample agenda for this workshop can be found at this link:  https://www.ncagr.gov/SWC/educational/RCW.html. 

“I've served as a counselor at this workshop for several years and it's a great opportunity for students to experience a taste of college life, while also helping narrow their focus between environmental, agricultural, or natural resources when deciding on a major or career path,” said Byron Currin, Granville County Natural Resource Conservationist. “I think it's a great way to build connections, add a great experience to your resume, and even earn a college scholarship.” 

Granville County Soil and Water will sponsor up to two rising high school juniors and/or seniors. Interested applicants should fill out the form found at this link 

(https://www.ncagr.gov/SWC/educational/documents/APPLICATIONFORM.pdf) and return to byron.currin@granvillecounty.org or in person to the Soil and Water Office located at 518 Lewis Street, Oxford. Applications are due by Monday, April 10 and will be reviewed by the Soil and Water District Board of Supervisors. 

GRANVILLE COUNTY COOPERATIVE EXTENSION: For the last six years, NC Cooperative Extension has partnered  with the Federal Bureau of Prisons at the Federal Correctional Complex (FCC) Butner to offer horticulture classes  to inmates. The program gives participants the opportunity to earn a college accredited certification in  horticulture training and gives participating inmates at FCC Butner the chance to prepare for employment and  successful reintegration upon release.  

The horticulture training program has three levels of classes, each lasting a total of twelve weeks. Inmates must  successfully complete the previous level to continue their advancement in the program. The curriculum is based  on the NC State Extension Master Gardener program and allows inmates to participate in classroom style  learning along with coursework completed independently. The Master Gardener program includes topics such  as Botany, Soil and Plant Nutrients, Composting, Insect and Disease ID/Control, Weed ID/Control/ Propagation,  and Lawn Care. Jeffrey Drowns is the primary instructor and he is assisted by Granville/Person Cooperative  Extension Horticulture Agent Johnny Coley who provides instruction for the program on a monthly basis.  Students also receive instruction from Extension specialists periodically. 

Since 2017, a total of thirty-two inmates have completed both levels of classes and received their certification. Twenty-Five participants have also successfully completed their pesticide applicator license exams which were administered by the NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. Director of NC State Extension, Dr.  Richard Bonano, has presented certifications to inmates that have successfully completed the horticulture  

program.  

Another benefit of this program is collaboration between FCC Butner and community organizations like Area  Congregations in Ministry (ACIM). Inmates participating in the horticulture program plant, maintain, and harvest  food from their community garden for delivery to ACIM. The Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Association  Granville/Person (EMVAGP) also provides financial support for the prison horticulture program to purchase  seeds and plants for the community garden initiative. Over the last two years, the community garden has  produced and distributed 2,100 pounds of produce to ACIM. This program has given inmates the opportunity to  put classroom concepts into practice and give back to the local community. 

“The horticulture program at FCC Butner has been hugely successful,” said Johnny Coley. “This exciting  partnership has so much potential for growth and will prove to be impactful for so many years in many  communities as these participants reintegrate and use these skills to help themselves and others.”

On March 9, 2023, the NC General Assembly passed House Bill 30 / SL 2023-2.  As a result, future terms of school board members in Granville County will now be four years instead of six years, starting with the 2024 election year. 

In 1987, the Granville County Public School system was involved in a civil rights lawsuit brought by the U. S. Department of Justice. On February 17, 1989, United States District Court Judge Terrence W. Boyle signed a consent decree setting up the election of Board of Education members by seven geographical districts within the county, rather than all seats being at large.  At the time, terms were set for six years. 

In 2019, the Board began discussions about changing term limits to four years.  Almost every other school system in North Carolina already had four year terms. The thinking of the Board was that this change would encourage more citizens to run for office and for Board members to complete their terms of service. In order to get this accomplished, it was necessary to get approval from the Voting Section of the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division in Washington, D.C. and then seek a modification of the 1989 Consent Decree from the United States Eastern District Court. 

Coinciding with the onset of the pandemic, the process did not move quickly.  On March 29, 2022, Judge Boyle signed a Consent Decree agreeing to the proposed plan to change term limits to four years and granted the Board permission to seek a change in the North Carolina General Statutes.  No other provisions of the original decree were changed.  

A bill was introduced by former Representative Garrison and was heard by the House Committee on June 29, 2022.  Several Board members attended the House Committee meeting. Due to the bill being heard late in the session, it did not make it to the House floor. 

As the composition of the Board had changed by December of 2022, the current Board was briefed by the Board attorney on the history of the efforts thus far, particularly as it relates to this bill. A resolution for support of this change was unanimously adopted at the January 23, 2023 Board Work Session and forwarded to NC Representative Sossoman, NC Representative Winslow, and NC Senator Bode. House Bill 30 was filed by Representatives Sossamon and Winslow on January 30th and became law on March 9, 2023.

“The Granville County Board of Education is grateful for the diligence and support of Granville County’s legislative delegation in fast-tracking this much needed change in term limits. It was important to the Board that this bill be passed before the next election cycle”, said Chairwoman Glenda Williams.

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Dr. Stan Winborne

Associate Superintendent of Curriculum & Instruction and Student Services

Public Information Officer

Granville County Public Schools

The Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee will host its annual Veterans Appreciation Event to say thank you to those who have served on Saturday, March 11 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Granville County Convention and Expo Center (4185 US Highway 15 South, Oxford). Guests will have an opportunity to visit displays by area agencies and organizations offering resources to area veterans. The program begins at 2:00 pm and will be followed by refreshments.

This will be the 8th event sponsored by the Committee and will also mark 10 years since the group was established by the County Commissioners to address the needs of area veterans. Past accomplishments and future plans will be featured, along with this year’s special theme, “Letters Home”. Cadets of the J. F. Webb High School JROTC will be reading excerpts of letters written by servicemen and women throughout military history from the Civil War to the present. These letters reflect the common bond shared by all who served as they left home to serve in peacetime and in conflict. These young people will signify a link between remembering the past and looking to the future, and their readings will show how service unites so many.

Agencies and groups planning to display information and answer questions include various departments of the Veterans Administration, NC Works, Vance-Granville Community College, the Veterans Life Center, the Boys and Girls Club, the Granville County Museum of History, the Richard H. Thornton Library, the John Penn Chapter of the DAR and 1812, OKT Farm, the Granville County Veterans Service Office, the Granville County Veterans Support Group, and more. The resources include benefits, health care, mental health, education, employment, local history and research, and much more.

The event is Granville County’s way to say “thank you” to all our local veterans and current servicemen and women. If you’re a veteran, or know one, please plan on spending part of your day on March 11th with your fellow heroes as Granville County salutes you.

Granville TDA Issues Call for Mini-Grant Applications 

GRANVILLE COUNTY TOURISM DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY: The Granville Tourism Development Authority  (TDA) is now accepting grant applications for the upcoming fiscal year. 

The Granville TDA’s mini-grant program seeks to assist Granville County organizations and agencies in the  promotion and marketing of events and activities that encourage tourism and create an economic impact from  visitor spending with a goal of helping stimulate events/activities that can grow and eventually thrive on their  own merit, without direct funding. Any approved funding should be considered as a supplemental resource only. 

Eligible organizations include Granville County-based community groups, nonprofit organizations, and municipalities or recognized communities located within Granville County. For-profit groups cannot apply for  grant funding unless the event’s proceeds will go to a community-supported organization. 

Priority will be given to products that encourage out-of-county visitors, with primary consideration given to  those that promote the Granville TDA’s mission of marketing the area as a travel destination. (The tourism  industry’s definition of a “visitor” is an individual trekking outside of 50 miles to attend an event or activity.)  Events planned for off-peak times may receive higher priority. 

Total funding of any event, project or program will not be greater than 25 percent of the total project budget  and will not exceed $5,000. Included with the request can be a one-time artist/entertainment allowance of up to  $1,000. 

Grant applications will be accepted until April 21, 2023, for inclusion in the upcoming fiscal year (July 2023 through June 2024). The Granville TDA Board of Directors will review applications and will make  recommendations for approval during their June board meeting. Award recipients will be notified after July 1,  2023, when the new fiscal year begins. 

Applications are available online (https://www.granvillecounty.org/visitors/tda-mini-grant-2023-2024/) or  through the Granville County Tourism Development office, 124 Hillsboro Street in Oxford. Those interested may  also contact Angela Allen, Tourism Director, at (919) 693-6125 or angela.allen@granvillecounty.org.