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Next
COG Board Meeting with be Thursday, January 24th 2019 at the
COG office at 7:00PM.
The
COG office will be closed on January 21, 2019 in observance
of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday.
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The Kerr-Tar COG assisted Vance County with
the development of the Building Reuse application with the
expansion of Southeastern Specialty Vehicles. The company,
which manufactures ambulance and rescue vehicles, will create
18 new jobs over the next three years and provide a $770,077
investment in Vance County.
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The Kerr-Tar
Executive Board approved a $50,000.00 E.D.A. Revolving loan
to the Balady Corporation DBA (Alpha Pita Bread) located at
264 Raleigh Road Henderson, N.C. The loan would assist the
business in the manufacturing of pita bread with the industry
to produce 10-15 new jobs over the next 2 years. A grand
opening is expected to be held in March of 2019. Angel Said
and Yousef Sheteiwy are the owners of the business.
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Vance-Granville
Announces New President
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Dr. Rachel M. Desmarais has been chosen as the
next president of Vance-Granville Community College. She
becomes the seventh president in the 49-year history of the
college.
“The Board of Trustees has concluded Dr.
Desmarais possesses the key attributes of an outstanding
president that were identified in our search process,” said
Danny W. Wright, chair of the board. “We are confident that
Dr. Desmarais will provide: the visionary leadership to help
our college expand and to promote economic development in our
four counties, a powerful commitment to student recruitment
and retention, the dedication to improving the lives of the
people in our service area, the attention to facility
planning and sustainability, and the articulation of our
mission and vision to the college’s employees and the
communities we serve.”
She earned her doctorate of philosophy in
instructional design and technology from Old Dominion
University in Norfolk, Va., in 2015 after getting her masters
of science in information technology management from the
University of North Carolina in Greensboro in 2003. She
earned a bachelor of music degree in voice performance from
Mars Hill College in 1992.
She was also among fewer than 40 aspiring and
emerging community college presidents nationwide who were
chosen for the Aspen Institute Presidential Fellowship for
Community College Excellence in 2017-2018.
“I am honored to have the opportunity to serve
and lead Vance-Granville Community College as its seventh
president,” said Dr. Desmarais “VGCC is a special place with
students, faculty, staff, and board members who care for and
take great pride in the college and community. I look forward
to building on the strong value and culture already present
in the college to cultivate a new shared vision for VGCC and
its communities. Together, we will be truly be Vanguards!”
Dr. Desmarais will begin work early in 2019.
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Vance-Granville
Community College Announces Four New Classes for Food Truck
Entrepreneurs
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Vance-Granville’s
Small Business Center is offering four courses catered to
food truck entrepreneurs in 2019. The instructor will be Mr.
Ray Chow, founder of Hibachi Xpress and Catering.
Interested
participants will be required to register for the courses at
either: smallbusiness@vgcc.edu or (252) 738-3240. The deadline to register for
each course in one week prior to the start date. The course
schedule is as follows:
·
January
14, 2019 – Let’s Get Cooking: Food Truck or Restaurant
– students will explore the differences between what it takes
to start a food truck or a restaurant.
·
February
11, 2019 – The 10 Hats of a Food Entrepreneur –
students will learn the multiple roles entrepreneurs need to
be able to juggle in order for their business to succeed.
·
March
11, 2019 – Food Service Marketing – students will
learn the various ways to market their food business to
improve their chances of success.
·
April 8,
2019 – Keeping Your Food Truck Business Running – will
take a closer look at the need for flexibility and proper
planning.
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The
US Census Bureau is Now Recruiting for 2020 Census Jobs
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Earn extra income
while helping your community. The U.S. Census Bureau is
recruiting thousands of people across the country (including
the five-county Kerr-Tar region) to assist with the 2020
Census count.
The Census Bureau is
currently hiring for a variety of temporary jobs, including
census takers, recruiting assistants, office staff, and
supervisory staff.
To be eligible,
applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a valid Social
Security number, and be a U.S. citizen. Most jobs require
employees to have access to a vehicle and a valid driver’s
license, and have access to a computer with internet and an
email account. If
interested, please complete the following online application:
https://recruitment.2020census.gov/ats/careersite/census.aspx?site=1&c=census
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NC
Commerce Issues 2019 Economic Development Tiers
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PLANNING & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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2019
Tentative TCC/TAC Meeting Dates
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Meetings are held from 3:00-5:00 p.m. at the
Kerr-Tar COG Offices located at 1724 Graham Avenue in
Henderson
· January
2019 - No Meeting Scheduled
· July
- No Meeting Scheduled
· November
2019 - No Meeting Scheduled
· December
2019 - No Meeting Scheduled
*Please note, meeting dates are subject to
change in order to accommodate NCDOT deadlines
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Elected officials serving as members of the
KTRPO TAC are required to submit Statements of Economic
Interest (SEI) and Real-Estate Disclosure (RED) Forms
annually to the North Carolina State Ethics Commission. The
due date for 2019 will be April 15. Please schedule an
appointment with KTRPO staff to complete these necessary
forms.
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The Kerr-Tar Council
of Governments in conjunction with the NC Rural Center,
Vance-Granville Community College and USDA will be hosting a
Rural Business Assistance Project Information Session on
January 8, 2019 from 10:00-11:30 a.m. on the Main Campus of
VGCC. This information session will discuss the Rural Food
Business Assistance Project, the building of regional food
business support networks, and the promotion of food-based business
as an economic development strategy in rural North Carolina.
If interested in attending, please RSVP to Caroline Pao at: cpao@ncruralcenter.org
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Visit
NC Farms Mobile App
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The Council of
Governments, in conjunction with the North Carolina
Department of Agriculture, and local
Co-Operative
Extension Offices are still accepting applications for the
Visit NC Farms Mobile App. If you are a local farmer, local
food producer, a restaurant using local foods, or sale local
goods at a Farmers Market, please contact your local Agricultural
Extension Office for details about being included in the
mobile app.
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North Carolina’s
Inaugural Transportation Summit will be held on January 9-10,
2019 at the Raleigh Convention Center. This Summit is an
exceptional opportunity for policy makers, transportation and
industry experts and representatives from city and county
governments to gather and discuss transportation safety,
future transportation funding and new and disruptive
technologies. If interested in
attending, please contact Ernie Cochran at ernie@housmanandassociates.com
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Join Dennis Alvord, MPA, Deputy
Assistant Secretary for Regional Affairs of the U.S. Economic
Development Administration and a host of others at the 2nd Emerging
Issues Forum, ReCONNECT Rural and Urban on February
11, 2019 at the Raleigh Marriott City Center. This
Institute of Emerging Issues forum will examine the
interconnectedness of rural, suburban, and urban economies,
and strategies to more effectively promote and leverage these
connections for increased success. Register at the following
link: https://iei.ncsu.edu/reconnectnc/rcru/
Scholarships are available to increase
geographic, demographic and economic representation at the
Institute’s Rural and Urban Forum. Some scholarships are
reserved exclusively for residents living in Eastern North
Carolina (i.e. counties along and to the east of I-95),
especially those living in the region’s most economically
distressed counties.
For more information about scholarships,
please visit https://iei.ncsu.edu/reconnectnc/ru-scholarships/ or
contact IEI staff at 919-515-7741 for more details.
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The NC Department of Transportation has begun
soliciting nominations for the first-ever NCDOT Mobility
Awards (MOBI). Nominations can be made by any North Carolina
city, town, metropolitan planning organization, rural
planning organization, public transportation
system/authority, airport authority, or council of
government. The project should have been completed within the
last 5 years and combine 2 or more of the following modes of
transportation: transit, bicycle/pedestrian, rail, aviation,
ferry, or roadway. Awards will be made in the following
categories: Urban, Suburban, Rural, Tourism, and Innovation.
Nominations are due by January 22, 2019. Winners will
be announced on April 3, 2019. Applications and other
information can be found at:
https://connect.ncdot.gov/events/Pages/2019-mobi-awards.aspx
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Open
Call for Projects through Clean Fuel Advanced Technology
(CFAT) Project
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The NC Department of Transportation’s Bicycle
and Pedestrian Division has issued a call for applications
for the annual Bicycle Helmet Initiative. This initiative
distributes helmets to government and non-government agencies
conducting bike safety events. These agencies include: police
and fire departments, parks and recreation departments,
health departments, community centers, and churches.
Applicants may request 25, 50, 75, or 100 helmets.
Applications are due by 5:00 pm on December 21, 2018.
Notification of award will be on January 21, 2019. Applicants
must hold the distribution event by April 30, 2020.
Applicants are encouraged to partner with local area
community groups. Applications and other information may be
found at:
https://www.ncdot.gov/initiatives-policies/safety/bicycle-helmets/Pages/default.aspx
If interested in applying, please contact a
member of the KTRPO.
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The Town of Butner successfully submitted
three (3) intersection projects and one (1) greenway project
for consideration of NCDOT funds. The NCDOT will announce
funding recipients in early 2019. The KTRPO thanks the Town
for their submissions.
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Town
of Warrenton Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan
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The Town of Warrenton will begin the process
of creating a Bicycle and Pedestrian Trail Plan. The first
meeting of the Steering Committee is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.
at the Town’s Rural Fire Department on January 23, 2019. The
Town of Warrenton applied for and was awarded a planning
grant from NCDOT in 2018. Stephanie Harmon, KTRPO Regional
Planner has been appointed to the Steering Committee.
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The North Carolina
Department of Transportation has been using MetroQuest public
involvement software to support various planning initiatives
over the last three years. In leveraging MetroQuest as a
key component of our public involvement strategy, NCDOT has
been able to increase the level of public participation and
collect significantly more quality data from the public.
For those
unfamiliar with MetroQuest, it is highly visual and
interactive online survey software. MetroQuest is
particularly well suited for transportation agencies needing
to acquire informed input from the public to support
important and complex transportation plans.
This investment by
NCDOT is intended to enable all MPO’s and RPO’s in North
Carolina to enhance their respective public involvement
results through the use of a high quality survey tool. Using
common technology across all agencies will help create a better,
more efficient public involvement process throughout the
state.
Members of the
TAC/TCC are welcome to join the Kerr-Tar RPO for a training
on January 23, 2019 by NCDOT officials from 11:00 a.m. – 3:00
p.m. The training will be at the KTCOG Offices. If interested
in attending, please contact a member of the KTRPO.
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Let the games begin!
Registration is now open for the Region K 2019 Senior Games.
Senior Games is a holistic approach to body, mind and spirit
staying fit, while enjoying the company of friends, family,
spectators, and volunteers. Volunteers from all areas of the
community are welcome. Athletic and SilverArts are open to
individual’s age 50 and better. Sports events include
basketball shooting, billiards, bocce, cornhole, golf,
horseshoes, shuffleboard, softball throw, table tennis, cycling,
track and fields events, pickleball, badminton, bowling,
tennis and many more. The SilverArts category will include
events in Heritage Arts such as knitting and quilting, Visual
Arts such as drawing and photography, Literary Arts such as
essay and poems and Performing Arts such as dance and vocals.
The full list of events, schedule and event locations can be
found in the registration packets, which can be picked up and
turned in to the local county senior centers. Online
registration is available at torch.ncseniorgames.org. Anyone interested in
becoming involved in the Senior Games program as a staff
member, sponsor or volunteer, please contact: Laura Yeatts lyeatts@kerrtarcog.org or call (252) 436-2040. For
more information visit www.ncseniorgames.org. Registration deadline
is February 22, 2019.
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Older
Adult Mental Health First Aid Training
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On Friday, January
11, the Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging will partner with
Cardinal Innovations Healthcare in holding an Older Adult
Mental Health First Aid Training. The training will be from
8:30 A.M. – 5:00 P.M. at Vance-Granville Community College,
located on 200 Community College Road in Henderson. This is
an 8-hour public education program that introduces
participants to the unique risk factors and warning signs of
mental health problems in adults and older adults, builds
understanding of the importance of early intervention, and
teaches individuals how to help an adult/older adult in
crisis or experiencing a mental health challenge. We
encourage individuals working within healthcare, aging,
mental health, human services or community outreach to
attend. Deadline to register is January 9, 2019. To register,
contact Harvey Holmes at (252) 436-2040 or hholmes@kerrtarcog.org.
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*NEW*
Online Family Caregiver Support Group
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The Kerr-Tar Area Agency on Aging has created
an Online Family Caregiver Support Group through its Facebook
Page. The purpose of this group is to discuss information,
events, questions and ideas that correlate with aging care
amongst other caregivers. Caregiving is honorable act that is
given by a family member, partner, friend or neighbor who
advocates for and provides unpaid and on-going assistance to
someone who is ill, disabled, or frail.
The main purpose of establishing this group is
to target caregivers who are heavily confound to caregiving
responsibilities and are limited with outings away
from home. For many caregivers, it is difficult to regularly
attend groups, services or enjoy time with the ones whom they
love due to caregiver obligations. For many caregivers, it is
quite challenging to find resources, supports and other
levels of help. Each have different situations and
complications. If interested in joining, log on to Facebook
and follow Kerr Tar Area Agency on Aging. On the page,
locate the group and request to join. For questions, comments
or concerns, please contact Harvey Holmes at (252)
436-2040.
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Caregiver
Support Groups
Caregiver support
groups are offered monthly in the following counties:
Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance and Warren. If you are
a caregiver, or know someone who is, we highly recommend
attending! Our caregiver support groups offer information,
assistance, guidance, and support for all caregivers! The
following times for support groups are listed below. For more
information regarding caregiver support groups, please
contact Harvey Holmes, Family Caregiver Specialist at hholmes@kerrtarcog.org
or call (252) 436-2040.
Franklin County Caregiver Support Group
Louisburg Senior Center
2nd Monday @ 7:00 P.M
(919) 496-1131
Granville County Caregiver Support Group
Granville Primary Care Education Classroom
1st Wednesday @ 12:00 P.M
(919) 690-3273
Person County Caregiver Support Group
Person County Senior Center
4th Tuesday @ 6:00 P.M
(336) 599-7484
Person County Caregiver Support Group
Cambridge Hills
2nd Tuesday @ 6:30 P.M
(336) 599-7484
Vance County Caregiver Support Group
Vance County Senior Center
3rd Tuesday @ 12:00 P.M.
(252) 430-0257
Warren County Caregiver Support Group
Warren County Senior Center
2nd Tuesday @ 3:30 P.M
(252) 257-3111
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Are you having a
hard time landing a job and feel defeated or frustrated?
NCWorks Career Centers have staff that can help assist
you. If you need a little inspiration, read this success
story and how an individual who was living in a shelter and
trying to go to school has now gained employment. Click here for the entire story.
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MISSION
STATEMENT
Kerr-Tar
Regional Council of Governments aims to
promote
regionalism that provides opportunities for
local
governments to enhance and improve the quality
of
life for our citizens through effective delivery of
services
and programs.
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Kerr-Tar Regional
Council of Governments
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Kerr-Tar Regional COG 1724 Graham AvenueHenderson, NC 27536 2524362040
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