Reminder: Arts Alive! to Showcase Student Talent at McGregor Hall This Weekend

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The third annual Vance County Schools’ Arts Alive! event will be held at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in Henderson this Saturday, April 27, 2019. The showcase will feature student talent in a variety of art forms including painting, drawing, dancing, singing and performance. All grade levels will be represented.

Parents, students, family, educators and community members are invited to view over 200 pieces of student artwork that will be displayed in the McGregor Hall Gallery beginning at 3 p.m. Gallery viewing is free of charge.

In addition to the art gallery, approximately 20 performing acts ranging from large to small groups of vocalists, musicians, dancers and more will entertain on McGregor Hall’s stage beginning at 7 p.m.

Tickets for the Arts Alive! show are available for purchase at McGregor Hall’s box office beginning at 3 p.m. on Saturday. Tickets for adults and children are $5 each; all seating is general admission.

New this year will be a series of “master classes” offered in singing, dancing and musical instruments the morning of the event. Classes will be offered by Hill’s Music Shoppe, Ballet Arts All Stars and Wolf Trap Education.

Master classes are free of charge and will either be offered at McGregor Hall or across the street at First Baptist Church in Henderson.

For more information on each class, locations or to register, please visit the Vance County Schools website by clicking here.

Nutbush Presbyterian Church to Hold Clothing Giveaway – Sat., April 27

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-Information and photos courtesy Kelly Smith, Nutbush Presbyterian Church 

Nutbush Presbyterian Church in Townsville, NC will be the site of a clothing giveaway on Saturday, April 27, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Men’s, women’s and children’s clothing and shoes will be available.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RV/Cabin or Day Use Upgrades? Kerr Lake Park Watch Wants Your Opinion!

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-Information courtesy the Kerr Lake Park Watch’s Facebook page

Kerr Lake Park Watch is working on updating priorities for the seven NC State Recreation Areas on Kerr Lake – Kimball Point, County Line, Bullocksville, Satterwhite Point (JC Cooper), Nutbush, Hibernia and Henderson Point. (NORTH CAROLINA PARKS ONLY, we will poll on VA & US Army Corps of Engineers parks soon.)

We want to show state parks personnel how park attendees feel about park improvements.

Please visit the Kerr Lake Park Watch’s Facebook page (click here) and respond with which of the below two options you would prefer:

OPTION #1 – Do you want more campsites that are upgraded to RV status with 30/50 AMP, room for RV slides, 13.5 ft high, room for awnings and with a defined camping area? If so, respond – RV/Cabin Upgrades to camp.

OPTION #2 – Do you want more day-use areas, swimming beaches, hiking trails? If so, respond – DAY Use Upgrades.

NOTE: If you have other park suggestions, please send an email to info@kerrlakeparkwatch.org. YOU MUST INCLUDE your name, city of residence or where you receive mail, and your email; sending any other contact information is appreciated.

Kerr Lake Park Watch will never give or sell your information to any public or private entity.

Franklin County Schools

Franklin Co. Schools Closed for Students Wed., May 1

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-Information courtesy Franklin County Schools

On Wednesday, May 1, 2019, educators from across the state will be participating in a rally at the General Assembly in support of improvement of classroom opportunities for students and improved working conditions for teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other staff who play a critical role in supporting our schools.

We have been actively monitoring the number of anticipated teacher and support staff absences on this date, and have reached a point at which scheduled absences of teachers and support staff will not allow us to safely and effectively operate that day. Therefore, all schools are closed on Wednesday, May 1 for Franklin County School students. We have met the requirement for accumulated instructional hours and will not need to make this day up for students.

May 1 will be an optional teacher workday for staff. Central Office will remain open. All school activities on May 1 are canceled.

We apologize for any inconvenience this change may cause and appreciate your understanding.

NC Coop Extension

Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie 04/24/19

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Home and Garden 04/23/19

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News 04/25/19

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Town Talk 04/25/19

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Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

H-V Rec. & Parks Director, Henderson Police Chief Stand Behind Proposed Park

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Kendrick Vann, director of Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks, along with Tara Goolsby, facilities manager, and Victor Hunt, program specialist, were on Wednesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss department updates.

According to Vann, the Recreation Department is currently working with City of Henderson and Vance County officials to obtain a park and recreation trust fund grant totaling $500,000 to build a new public park at the corner of Williams and Montgomery Street in Henderson. Vann said the current plan asks the City and County to match dollar for dollar up to $250,000.

If the grant is obtained, funding will be used to build a skate park, bike park, splash pad, outdoor exercise and fitness stations, a shelter for picnics and a walking trail that will encompass the park.

“We want to make Henderson one of the greatest cities in the area, and we want to show that by having a diverse park,” said Vann.

Vann said much of the planning was the brainchild of Recreation employees Alan Gill and Steve Osborne, along with the “hard-working” Recreation Advisory Committee who had the goal of accessibility in mind when creating the park’s design and layout.

“One of the biggest issues people tell us they have with using public parks and facilities is accessibility,” said Vann. “People aren’t always able to get to the Aycock Rec. Center, for example, because they say it is on the outskirts of town.”

After holding several pop-up community events at the corner of Williams and Montgomery Street, a spot some may recognize as the site of the former Vance Hotel, Vann said the committee realized they had an ideal park location.

“We started having community events such as ‘Stop the Violence,’ and we saw that it was a great location because we had a lot of attendance. The team discussed it and said that would be a great place to put a park, especially in conjunction with the happenings in downtown Henderson.”

Vann is referring to the close proximity of Perry Memorial Library, the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center and the future outdoor Breckenridge Pavilion, as well as restaurants, shops and special events such as the annual Vance County Relay for Life and the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce’s “Meet Me in the Street” series.

The first of two scheduled public meetings for the community to hear additional information about the proposed park and to provide input was held Tuesday evening at City Hall.

While turnout was low, Vann hopes to see more of the Henderson-Vance community at the next meeting scheduled for tomorrow evening, Thursday, April 25, 2019. The meeting will be held at 6 p.m. at the City Council Chambers located at 134 Rose Avenue in Henderson.

“We invite the public to come out to hear the latest on park plans and to bring all ideas and questions that you have,” Vann implored.

Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow, who stopped by during the live interview, weighed in on the proposed park. “It’s a key location for the City; it’s right downtown and it’s been empty for over 20 years. This is an element that the City has been missing for a long time and something that Kendrick has been pushing for, and I’ve pushed for it with him. He has a vision, and we’ve got to follow that vision. It will be great for downtown.”

To hear the Town Talk interview with Vann in its entirety, including additional H-V Recreation & Parks updates from staff members, click here.

Vance Co. Schools: May 1 Declared Student Holiday, Optional Teacher Workday

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

After consultation with school system leadership and the Vance County Board of Education, Superintendent Anthony Jackson has recommended, and the Board of Education has approved, a change in our school calendar to accommodate the N.C. Association of Educators’ Rally for Public Education planned for Wednesday, May 1, 2019, in Raleigh.

The day will be changed to an optional teacher workday in all Vance County Schools and a holiday for students.

This decision has been made because of the large number of educators in our schools who have asked for the day off to participate in the public education rally. The missed day of instruction will not be made up for students.

School system employees who want to be out of work on May 1 must use annual leave time or, if they don’t have available leave time, must take the day off without pay or report to work.