Vance County Superior Court Session Results in Significant Prison Sentences
Henderson, NC – District Attorney Michael Waters, together with Assistant District Attorneys Melissa Pelfrey and Onica Fuller worked through a criminal calendar consisting of cases brought by both the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County Sheriffs Office during a week-long session of Vance County Superior Court which began May 8, 2017, where Superior Court Judge Michael O’Foghludha presided.
Travis Kingsberry received an active prison sentence of Life without Parole in the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction (DAC) at the end of a week-long trial where jurors found Kingsberry guilty of First Degree Murder, First Degree Burglary and Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury. The case against Kingsberry stemmed from the 2009 murder of Montrell Alston on Adams Street in Henderson, NC, and was investigated by detectives and patrol officers of the Henderson Police Department under the direction of Chief Marcus Barrow.
Jemel Bullock, a co-defendant of Mr. Kingsberry, received an active prison sentence of 96 to 125 months in the DAC as a result of his plea of guilty to Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon.
Darius Benson, also a co-defendant of Bullock and Kingsberry, was sentenced, pursuant to his plea of guilty, to Voluntary Manslaughter and received an active prison sentence of 71 to 95 months in the DAC. Benson received a mitigated sentence as a result of agreement to testify on behalf of the State against others involved in the 2009 murder of Montrell Alston.
The fourth and final co-defendant of Bullock, Benson and Kingsberry, Alan Gibson, was found guilty of First Degree Murder, First Degree Burglary and Assault with a Deadly Weapon Inflicting Serious Injury by a jury at the end of a trial that began on March 21, 2017. Gibson also received an active prison sentence of Life without Parole in the DAC.
Michael Waters
Vance County High School Graduation Times and Locations Announced
Vance County Schools
For Immediate Release
May 19, 2017
The graduation ceremonies for all of the Class of 2017 members in our four high schools begin next Friday, May 26, with the commencement for graduates at the Vance County Early College High School.
All four of the high school graduation ceremonies can be viewed live on the school system’s website at www.vcs.k12.nc.us.
The Early College commencement will begin at 6 p.m. and will be held in the Civic Center on the campus of Vance-Granville Community College near Henderson.
Our other graduation ceremonies include:
Friday, June 9, at 7 p.m. at McGregor Hall in Henderson for graduates of the AdVANCE Academy at Western Vance High School
Saturday, June 10, at 8 a.m. at McGregor Hall in Henderson for graduates of Northern Vance High School
Saturday, June 10, at 12 p.m. at McGregor Hall in Henderson for graduates of Southern Vance High School
The seating capacity of the McGregor Hall auditorium is approximately 960 people. The number of people admitted for each ceremony will not exceed the number of seats. For the ceremonies for Northern Vance and Southern Vance high schools, tickets will be given to graduates for their family members to attend. Only those people with tickets will be admitted for the ceremony. Only young children will be allowed to sit in the laps of adults. There will be overflow seating for people in the McGregor Hall Gallery. However, these people also must have a ticket for admission.
The doors to McGregor Hall will be opened one hour prior to the beginning of each graduation ceremony.
No types of noise makers, signs, posters, banners, balloons, confetti or any other similar materials will be permitted at any of the graduation ceremonies.
Parking for the graduation ceremonies at McGregor Hall will be available along any of the surrounding streets, as well as the Perry Memorial Library parking lot, the city parking lot in front of the Henderson Police Department along Chestnut Street and the PNC Bank parking lot on Chestnut Street.
VGCC Trustees Add Supply Chain Management to Programs
The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees recently approved the addition of a new curriculum program, Supply Chain Management, to replace Global Logistics & Distribution Management Technology. The action came at the Trustees’ bimonthly meeting on the college’s Main Campus on Monday, May 15.
The Supply Chain Management curriculum prepares students for a variety of careers in distribution, transportation, warehousing, trucking operations, supply chain and manufacturing organizations. Graduates will earn an Associate in Applied Science degree.
Trustees approved adding tracks in Global Logistics Technology and Trucking Operations Management, starting with Fall Semester, which begins Aug. 14. The changes will not affect students who are currently enrolled in the Global Logistics curriculum at VGCC, said Dr. Angela Ballentine, vice president of academic affairs. Courses under the existing program will be available through Spring 2018.
Students pursuing the tracks will be able to progress smoothly from the certificates to the related Supply Chain Management degree, Dr. Ballentine said.
Courses will include Transportation Logistics, Import/Export Management, Purchasing Logistics, Introduction to Trucking, and Fleet Maintenance. The Global Logistics & Distribution Management Technology program is being archived, according to Trustee Barbara Cates Harris, chair of the board’s Curriculum Committee.
The board also acted to terminate the Logistics Management and the Secure Logistics certificates, effective this fall.
Capital Projects
A variety of capital projects are on tap for VGCC, according to a Building Committee report given by Donald C. Seifert, Sr., chair.
Bids have been opened for the renovation of a lab for the Histotechnology program on the Main Campus.
The bid for replacement of the roof of Building 6 on the Main Campus has been awarded to Baker Roofing of Raleigh at a cost of $333,180. The project is scheduled to be completed during the summer.
An agreement has been signed to begin assessment of exterior masonry repairs needed on the Main Campus. The college is seeking to restore, structurally repair and waterproof building masonry rooflines, walls and bridges. The assessment is expected to be completed in November.
A preliminary design site visit was done in April by BW Architecture of Greenville as the college seeks to renovate a 3,200-square-foot space in Building 10 for the Law Enforcement Training, Fire/Rescue and Emergency Medical Services programs.
The patching and sealing of the parking lots at South Campus was awarded to Carolina Pavement of Cary at a cost of $14,903, with completion scheduled for July 31.
A design agreement was executed with Stanford White Inc. of Raleigh in early April to renovate the existing Welding lab area at Franklin County Campus to add eight welding booths and a demonstration area. Bids are expected to be advertised in July and opened in August.
Other Action
In other action:
- Colton Hayes, student trustee and president of the Student Government Association, used his last meeting to thank the board for the opportunity to serve as student trustee. The first-ever SGA president from one of the early college high schools, Hayes graduated from VGCC on May 12 and will get his high school diploma from Franklin County Early College High School on May 25.
- Trustee Danny Wright, reporting for Sara Wester, chair of the Personnel Committee, reported on new employees, retirements and resignations.
- The trustees approved student, patron, child care and facility rental fees for the 2017-2018 academic year, recommended by the Budget Committee, chaired by Trustee Abdul Rasheed.
- The Investment Committee, chaired by Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., reported on growth in the college’s investments.
- In her report on college activities and upcoming events, VGCC President Dr. Stelfanie Williams announced the board will have its annual retreat on Aug. 28.
- Board Chair Danny Wright appointed a nominating committee composed of Frazier, Wester and Harris to prepare a list of nominees for officers for 2017-2018.
Following the regular session, the board entered a Closed Session for the annual evaluation of the president.
The next meeting of the VGCC Board of Trustees will be held on Monday, July 17, at the Main Campus.
–VGCC–
TRAC in Granville County Region – WIZS Live Broadcast
Thursday May 18th from 10 am to 2 pm, tourism-related businesses in Granville County and the surrounding region will have an opportunity to work with Visit North Carolina staff to learn about its research, development and marketing services, and discuss best practices in reaching travelers, the media and increasing tourism visitation and spending. Visit North Carolina’s Tourism Resource Assistance Center (TRAC), a community-based training program designed to help small tourism-related businesses, will be held at Cedar Creek Gallery located on 1150 Fleming Road in Creedmoor. The gallery offers for sale the work of over 200 of America’s most accomplished craftspeople in a unique, relaxing atmosphere. For more information about the gallery, log onto www.cedarcreekgallery.com. The event will also feature the Baton Rouge Cuisine Food Truck providing authentic, fresh Cajun & Soul food for sale.
Log onto https://www.brcuisine.com/ for menu.
There is no charge to attend TRAC, no reservation is required, and there are no PowerPoint presentations. This is a come-when-you-can/stay-as-long-as-you’d-like event opportunity for all tourism-related businesses to meet one-on-one with program managers to discuss better ways to promote their property or event. TRAC brings Visit North Carolina’s program managers to local communities to discuss the nuts and bolts of working with the organization. This invaluable program is designed to help tourism-related businesses engage more fully with programs offered by Visit North Carolina and its partners.
WIZS will broadcast live from the event from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. for interested citizens and business owners that may not have the opportunity to attend.
Representatives from the EDPNC’s BLNC, N.C. Dept. of Commerce, N.C. Dept. of Natural & Cultural Resources, GotToBe NC Agri-Tourism and NC GreenTravel will also be on hand to discuss services they can provide businesses, including strategic planning, assisting with identifying funding sources and serving as liaisons with other local, state and federal agencies. For additional information on this session or to learn more about scheduling a TRAC visit to your community, contact André Nabors at (919) 447-7771.
In addition, Angela Allen, Tourism Director for Granville County will also be in attendance to share with restaurants, retail stores, events and attractions on how she can help drive visitors to Granville and their businesses. Please feel free to contact her at 919-693-6125 or log onto www.visitgranvillenc.com .
Butner to hold Memorial Day Wreath Ceremony
PRESS RELEASE
MEMORIAL DAY WREATH LAYING CEREMONY
MAY 29th at 10:00 AM
GAZEBO PARK, BUTNER
Please join us for the opportunity to pay tribute and remember our past US Military Service men and women with a Wreath Laying Ceremony.
The event will take place at the Gazebo Park, Town of Butner, on Monday, May 29th beginning at 10:00 AM.
The Ceremony includes keynote speaker Tom Lane, who was the first elected Mayor of Butner (2007-2015). Also participating are area pastors Reverend Buddy Ritter, Reverend David Richardson; the South Granville Jr. ROTC; and music by the South Granville High School Band.
Winners of the Middle School Essay Contest will present their writings and military vehicles will be on display.
The address for Gazebo Park is 416, Central Avenue, Butner, NC.
In case of rain, the ceremony will be held at Soldiers Memorial Sports Arena.