Local Missing Person Found Submerged in Vehicle at Satterwhite Point

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David Alfonzo Young, 71, who was reported missing back in May, was found submerged inside his 1990 Dodge Dakota at the Satterwhite Point Marina boat ramp over the weekend.  Sheriff Peter White told WIZS News, “It looked as though he drove straight down the boat ramp.”

No foul play is suspected in this case as the truck was in drive when it entered the water. “Why he drove into the water we don’t know,” stated White.

Several boats have launched from the ramp since May, but one boater thought he hit something with his propeller and called local authorities.

An autopsy is being conducted in this case.

News 07/17/17

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Town Talk 07/17/17

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Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 07/17/17

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Florida State Leads ACC Football Preseason Poll

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GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – Florida State is the preseason favorite to claim the Atlantic Coast Conference football championship, according to a poll of 167 media members held in conjunction with last week’s 2017 ACC Football Kickoff.

The Seminoles, who posted a 10-3 overall record last season and defeated Michigan in the Capital One Orange Bowl, are also picked to capture the Atlantic Division, while Miami received the nod as the likely Coastal Division winner.

Reigning Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson of Louisville was chosen to repeat as ACC Player of the Year after a record-setting 2016 campaign in which he averaged 393.4 yards per game of total offense and accounted for 51 touchdowns, both ACC single-season records. His 1,571 rushing yards and 21 rushing touchdowns were also ACC records for a quarterback.

Jackson, a rising junior from Pompano Beach, Florida, who is the youngest player to win the Heisman Trophy, also was named the 2016 National College Football Player of the Year by the Maxwell Award, Walter Camp, the Sporting News and CBS Sports.

Florida State was named the likely 2017 ACC champions on 118 ballots, followed by defending national champion and two-time defending ACC champion Clemson with 35 votes. Louisville received seven votes, followed by Virginia Tech and Miami with three each and Duke with one.

In the Atlantic Division preseason voting, Florida State led the way with 121 first-place votes and 1,108 total points. Clemson followed with 37 first-place votes and 1,007 points, while Louisville received nine first-place votes and checked in with 843 total points.

NC State (658 total points) was tabbed for a fourth-place Atlantic Division finish, followed by Wake Forest (415), Syracuse (362) and Boston College (283).

Miami, beginning its second season under head coach Mark Richt, was selected the likely Coastal Division winner by 103 voters and amassed 1,065 total points. Defending division champion Virginia Tech followed with 40 first-place votes and 932 points. Georgia Tech placed third with nine first-place votes and 708 points.

Pitt (seven first-place votes) totaled 673 points, followed by North Carolina (four first-place votes) at 606, Duke (four first-place votes) at 473 and Virginia at 219.

The Atlantic and Coastal Division winners will meet in the 2017 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game on Saturday, December 2, at Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium. If this year’s media predictions prove correct, it will be a first-ever title game matchup of teams from the Sunshine State and a rematch of an early regular-season showdown. The Seminoles and Hurricanes meet in Tallahassee on September 16.

Florida State owns 15 ACC championships since joining the league in 1992, just behind leader Clemson’s 16 conference crowns. Head coach Jimbo Fisher will welcome back 20 starters this season, including talented sophomore quarterback Deondre Francois and a deep defensive secondary led by Tavarus McFadden, Nate Andrews and Derwin James, a redshirt sophomore who returns after being sidelined by a knee injury in the second game of last season.

Louisville’s Jackson led the preseason ACC Player of the Year balloting with 113 votes, while Florida State’s Francois was listed on 23 ballots and Clemson defensive tackle Christian Wilkins on 11.

Boston College defensive end Harold Landry received eight ACC Preseason Player of the Year votes, followed by NC State all-purpose standout Jaylen Samuels with seven and Syracuse quarterback Eric Dungey with two. Miami linebacker Shaquille Quarterman, Miami wide receiver Ahmmon Richards and Duke quarterback Daniel Jones each received one vote.

 

ACC Championship

  1. Florida State – 118
  2. Clemson – 35
  3. Louisville – 7

4-t. Virginia Tech – 3

4-t. Miami – 3

  1. Duke – 1

 

Atlantic Division  

(First place votes in parenthesis)                  

  1. Florida State (121) – 1,108
  2. Clemson (37) – 1,007
  3. Louisville (9) – 843
  4. NC State – 658
  5. Wake Forest – 415
  6. Syracuse  – 362
  7. Boston College – 283

 

Coastal Division

(First place votes in parenthesis)                  

  1. Miami (103) – 1,065
  2. Virginia Tech (40) – 932
  3. Georgia Tech (9) – 708
  4. Pitt (7) – 673
  5. North Carolina (4) – 606
  6. Duke (4) -473
  7. Virginia -219

 

ACC Player of the Year

  1. Lamar Jackson, QB, Louisville – 113
  2. Deondre Francois, QB, Florida State – 23
  3. Christian Wilkins, DT, Clemson – 11
  4. Harold Landry, DE, Boston College – 8
  5. Jaylen Samuels, AP, NC State – 7
  6. Eric Dungey, QB, Syracuse – 2

7-t. Shaquille Quarterman, LB, Miami – 1

7-t. Ahmmon Richards, WR, Miami – 1

7-t. Daniel Jones, QB, Duke – 1

Parents endow VGCC scholarship in memory of daughter

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Joann Thomas and Nathan Fleming, both of Williamsboro, recently established a new Vance-Granville Community College scholarship, which they named in memory of the daughter they lost at the age of three.

The new academic achievement scholarship honors the memory of Joy Nicole Fleming, who passed away in 1975 due to complications from a brain tumor. Thomas recalled that her daughter, befitting her first name, was “smart and talkative and never found anybody she didn’t like.” She also noted that Joy loved attending church at Island Creek Baptist Church. 

Thomas is a retired nurse. She attended nursing school at Grace Hospital in Morganton, N.C., on a full scholarship herself, so she appreciates the value of helping students and told VGCC officials that she wanted to give back to today’s students. Thomas, who also holds a bachelor’s degree from Meredith College, had a long career in nursing, including stints at Granville Medical Center and in public health and hospice care in Granville, Vance and Warren counties. She added that she has always been “inspired by nurses.”

In awarding the new scholarship, preference will be given to female students who are enrolled in VGCC Health Sciences programs, such as Nursing, Radiography, Medical Assisting and Pharmacy Technology.

Fleming worked as a bookkeeper in the tobacco industry and later became a truck driver. The couple have another daughter, Amy.

“We are grateful to Nathan and Joann for honoring VGCC with such a generous gift in memory of their precious daughter, Joy,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, president of VGCC. “For generations to come, her name will be associated with supporting our students as they prepare for rewarding careers serving our communities in the health care field.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 8,800 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information about the Endowment Fund, call (252) 738-3409.

–VGCC–

Henderson Police Department to host Night Out Against Crime

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In cooperation with the “34th Annual National Night Out” the Henderson/Vance Night Out Against Crime Committee and the Henderson Police Department will be hosting the Henderson/Vance Night Out Against Crime on Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson on August 1, 2017. The event is scheduled from 5:00 PM to 8:00 PM with set-up beginning at 3:00 PM.

The introduction of National Night Out, “America’s Night Out Against Crime”, in 1984 began an effort to promote involvement in crime prevention activities, police-community partnerships, neighborhood camaraderie and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. NATW’s National Night Out program culminates annually, on the first Tuesday of August (In Texas, the first Tuesday of October).

National Night Out now involves over 38.5 million people and 16,500 communities from all fifty states, U.S. Territories, Canadian cities, and military bases worldwide.

The traditional “lights on” campaign and symbolic front porch vigils turned into a celebration across America with various events and activities including, but not limited to, block parties, cookouts, parades, visits from emergency personnel, rallies and marches, exhibits, youth events, safety demonstrations and seminars, in effort to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness; generate support for, and participation in, local anticrime efforts, and strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and send a message to criminals letting them know neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. Events for this year’s Night Out include displays of law enforcement and public safety vehicles and equipment, informational booths for public safety and public health agencies and organizations, and children’s activities.

The Event Coordinator for the Henderson/Vance Night Out Against Crime 2017 is Community Services Sergeant Jessica B. West of the Henderson Police Department. Agencies and organizations involved in public safety and related fields that may be interested in participating in the event may contact Sergeant West at (252) 431-6061 or via email jwest@hendersonncpd.org .

Authority: Marcus W. Barrow, Chief of Police

Downtown Henderson Moonlight Gala 2017 Update

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In 2016 the Henderson Vance Downtown Development Commission held its first Moonlight Gala on Young Street in Downtown Henderson, NC.  After great success, we are hosting another Moonlight Gala in 2017 on September 9th, 2017.

We expect this event to sell out, as there are a limited number of tickets, only 138.  Those that purchased tickets for the event in 2016 got first chance to purchase tickets for the 2017 event on July 10th, 2017.

Today, July 14th, 2017  we’re opening up ticket sales to the public.

Note that as of July 14th there are only 16 tickets remaining available.

You may pay online, or by sending a check.  If you select to send a check, we must receive your payment by August 9th, 2017 or your order will be canceled and tickets will be forfeited.

Tickets may be purchased at

https://hendersonncdowntown.com/product/moonlight-gala-2017-ticket/

Warren County Arts Council Accepting Subgrant Applications

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by Craig Hahn

The Warren County Arts Council, in partnership with the NC Arts Council’s Grassroots Program, is accepting applications for subgrants to be awarded to local organizations for arts programs in Warren County through August 7th.

Applications are available for non-profit organizations whose purpose is to promote and develop diverse cultural arts programming in Warren County. Application forms and grant guidelines are available at https://ncarts.org/resources/local-arts-council-resources and paper copies of the applications can be picked up at the front desk of Warren County Memorial Library or at the Grant Workshop.

All NEW applicants must attend the Grassroots Arts Program Grant Workshop to assist interested applicants in preparing competitive grants on Thursday, July 27th, 5:30 p.m. at Warren County Memorial Library.

For questions or more information, please contact Warren County Arts Council at 252-213-5172 or email victoria.l.lehman@gmail.com.

E.M. Rollins to host “Back to School Bash”

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Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

July 13, 2017

Families are invited to attend the E.M. Rollins Elementary School “Back to School Bash” on Saturday, July 29, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the grounds of the school.

The “Bash” will include music, dancers, a bounce house, face painting, free food and drinks and school supply giveaways. The event is free for registered E.M. Rollins families and $3 per person for other guests.

Several vendors will be on hand to provide fun activities for all family members and important back-to-school information. The vendors include: the Henderson Family YMCA with information on the STRIDE program for boys and Girls on the Run program; Vance County 4-H; Henderson Fire Department; Midnight Blue Martial Arts; Ballet Arts; Boho the Clown; West End Baptist Church JOY Club; and Clearview Church.