Bear Hit By Car In The City Limits of Henderson

/by

For the second time in as many months, a bear has been hit by a car in the Vance-Granville area, and the resulting injuries required that the bear be euthanized.  Unlike last time when the bear involved was hit on I-85 in Granville County, this time it happened in the city limits of Henderson.

Police Chief Marcus Barrow told WIZS News, “Last night about 9:30 or 10:00 o’clock, a bear was struck on Ruin Creek Road at 85 right there by Sheetz and the hospital.”

No one was injured, but the car involved sustained the same amount of damage you might expect from striking a deer.

“The bear was struck and enough damage was done (to the bear) that wildlife came and had to put the bear down,” Barrow said.

The thought was, and the chief agreed, that even though it was on the edge of the city limits, this is pretty close to town for a bear.  He said, “I wouldn’t have thought a bear would be that close to town, but there’s enough woods in that area I guess.”

It was a 115-to-120-pound bear that North Carolina Wildlife Officials believed, according to Barrow, was about a one-and-a-half year old male.

Barrow said, “I would have much rather we found the bear in the intersection and tranquilized him and took it back out somewhere.  It’s just unusual to have a bear in town.”

Two Henderson Residents Face Drug-Related Charges

/by

On Wednesday, June 15, 2016, members of the Henderson Police Department Special Operations Unit executed a search warrant at 410 Julia Street, Henderson.  During the search, officers seized a quantity of cocaine, U. S. Currency, pills and a firearm.  Two individuals were charged as a result of the search.HPD - Shameeha Sommerville1

Shameeha Sarah Sommerville, 30, 410 Julia Street, Henderson was charged with one count of possession with the intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver cocaine, maintaining a dwelling for keeping a controlled substance, simple possession of cocaine, and simple possession of marijuana.  Sommerville was placed in the Vance County Jail after failing to post a 30,000.00 secured bond.  A preliminary hearing has been scheduled in Vance County District Court on June 27, 2016.

Rodney Duran Yancey, 28, 410 Julia Street, Henderson was charged with two counts of possession with the intent to manufacture, sell, and deliver heroin, manufacturing heroin – 2 counts, maintaining a vehicle for keeping controlled substance, trafficking heroin – 2 counts, maintaining a vehicle for keeping controlled substance, simple possession of cocaine, simpleHPD - Rodney Yancey1
possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Yancey was placed in the Vance County Jail after failing to post a 346,000.00 secured bond.  A preliminary hearing has been scheduled in Vance County District Court on June 27, 2016.

The heroin charges stemmed from an earlier investigation involving Yancey.

HPD Press Release – Authority: Chief Marcus Barrow

News 06/21/16

/by

Town Talk 06/20/16

/by

Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 06/20/16

/by

News 06/20/16

/by

$450,000 Grant To Improve Health In Granville

/by

Oxford N.C.  –  The Working on Wellness (WOW) Coalition has been awarded a $450,000 grant over three years from The Duke Endowment to help improve health in Granville County.

The WOW Coalition of Granville County is one of five initial participants in The Duke Endowment’s new initiative, Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas. The program  takes a bold  approach to addressing chronic health issues such as unhealthy weight,  diabetes and heart disease.  Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas is kicking off in five diverse North  Carolina regions – Catawba, Chatham, Granville, Montgomery/Richmond and Wilkes counties – with  future plans to expand throughout the Carolinas.

The WOW Coalition represents a multi-disciplinary group of community organizations working collaboratively to understand and address community needs. The core team members of the coalition include representatives from Granville Vance Public Health, Granville Health System, Granville County Schools, Northern Piedmont Community Care, and Granville County Cooperative Extension.GHS WOW 061716

Currently, the WOW coalition is supporting the implementation of the highly effective and evidence-based CATCH (Coordinated Approach to Child Health) program at Stovall-Shaw Elementary School. “CATCH had proven effectiveness in launching children, families, and their communities toward healthier lifestyles”, said Amy Rice, Principal at Stovall-Shaw Elementary School. Stovall-Shaw is a newly designated Health and Wellness magnet. Over the grant period, resources and assistance will be offered to additional schools to spread and expand on the lessons learned at Stovall-Shaw.

Research shows that North Carolina ranks 31st among states when it comes to the overall health of its residents, with two-thirds of residents considered overweight or obese.   Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas recognizes that health and well-being  are created and sustained not just through individual and clinical efforts, but through the cooperation and support of the extended local community.

“Where we live, where we go to school and work, how we spend our free time – even our ability to access fresh food and safely exercise near our homes – all contribute to our health and well-being,” said Bailey Goldman, WOW Coalition Coordinator and Lead Health Educator for Granville Vance Public Health.  Members of the WOW Coalition all agree that to truly improve health  within our community,  we have to expand  how we think about what affects our health.  lt’s more than just what we eat and how many calories we burn. It’s how our community and its economy impact our health.  By focusing on children and families in these initial efforts we will learn a lot about how to increase quality of life for all people.

Healthy People, Healthy Carolinas provides opportunities to bring together leaders from hospitals, health departments, community agencies, and other stakeholders in community well being.  The funding provided by The Duke Endowment will strengthen the infrastructure of the local coalitions that are coordinating health improvement efforts, so that they are well-positioned to identify and implement interventions that work.

“The health challenges facing the Carolinas have been decades in the making,” said Mary Piepenbring, vice president of The Duke Endowment.  “They cannot be effectively addressed overnight, nor can they be solved by individuals and organizations   working alone.  We’re starting with communities that have considerable health needs, but also proven ability to take on local challenges.  They have a history of successful community-wide collaboration.”

Representatives from the five coalitions will participate in a learning collaborative with opportunities to share information  with each other as they develop best practices for organizing, planning and implementing evidence-based programs known to improve health.

“The coalitions selected by the Endowment are intentionally diverse and unique,” said Laura Edwards of Population Health  Improvement Partners, the North Carolina-based organization that will provide expert assistance to each local coalition.   “While there will be many opportunities for exchanging ideas, each community will receive support to pave its own path forward.  The hope is that eventually the lessons of the five coalitions can inform the work of others throughout the Carolinas.”

###

Based in Charlotte,  N. C., and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits.  Since its founding, it has awarded more than $3 billion in grants.

(Press Release provided to WIZS News by Granville County Schools, and the Press Release was originally prepared by Granville Health System.)

Town Talk 06/17/16

/by

News 06/17/16

/by

Henderson Collegiate Teacher Charged With Taking Indecent Liberties With A Minor

/by

A former teacher with Henderson Collegiate school was charged by Henderson Police on June 16.

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow told WIZS News, “Trevor Major Rorie of 145 Cambridge Way, Henderson was charged with six counts of felony indecent liberties with a minor, one count of misdemeanor contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile and one count of misdemeanor child abuse.  A secure bond amount of $210,000 was set.  Rorie was jailed, and the court date will be July 5, 2016. The investigation will continue to determine if further charges are warranted.  The State Bureau of Investigation assisted with the investigation.”

Henderson Collegiate school posted on its web page on June 16 a letter from Executive Director Eric Sanchez.  Sanchez spoke to WIZS News and gave permission to re-publish the letter.

It was addressed to Henderson Collegiate families and says, “We recently learned that a former second-year teacher at Henderson Collegiate High School has been arrested and charged with engaging in inappropriate physical contact with students. Upon first learning of these allegations, we immediately placed the teacher on leave and notified the Henderson Police Department. We have since terminated the teacher’s employment and turned the matter over to the police, and we are cooperating fully with the investigation.

“This news is disturbing for all of us. The staff and I take the well-being and general safety of your children seriously, and we acted quickly and forcefully in this instance to eliminate any further risk to the student body.

“As all of you already know, our Pride of parents, students, and staff mean the world to me. I am available if you have any questions or concerns,” and Sanchez provided his contact information.

In a phone interview, Sanchez told WIZS News, “The question we are getting from a lot of supportive people is ‘How are we doing? How are we enduring and coping with this situation?’  And it’s a valid question.  There’s the normal thoughts that anyone would guess.  And I’m not saying myself.  I’m saying all of us, our community, myself included.

“What we are trying to do within this situation, as anybody would do when you face adversity, is to turn it into a real learning experience.  And the experience that we want people to have, definitely within our community, is that there is a bigger conversation around what it means to have appropriate relationships, around safety that people are having these conversations with their children, that we’re having our conversations with our students so these types of situations don’t reach the level that they unfortunately seem to have.”

Sanchez continued, “The other piece of that that I think is important with us is that we’re a school that has had a lot of success and celebrated a lot of great things as a school and as a community, and this is a time that we should not abandon that type of mindset.  It should actually push it even more where we come together as a pride, as a school and really support one another as we seek to heal.”

He said, “We are just trying to support this investigation as much as we can.  We acted quickly and tried to be very responsible, and we are doing everything we can to support the police and their efforts – one to do their investigation but two to also make sure people feel safe to come forward if anyone has been affected by it.”