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-Information courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson, NC
The Henderson City Council will hold their regular meeting on Monday, August 12, 2019, beginning at 6 p.m. in the R.G. (Chick) Young, Jr. Council Chambers of the Municipal Building located at 134 Rose Avenue in Henderson, NC.
Agenda items include:
Public Hearing – Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 19-21, amending Zoning Ordinance Article 300B: District Regulations, Section 301B.4 Retail Business (B-1, B-2, B-2A, B-3 and B-4).
Public comment period on agenda items.
Consideration of Approval of Resolution 19-30, authorizing the award of a contract to Management Solutions for emergency services in the amount of $11,100 for a Fire Department Station and Staffing Study.
Consideration of Approval of Resolution 19-31, declaring City Council’s intent to close Chestnut Alley and calling for a Public Hearing on the question.
Consideration of Approval of Resolution 19-33, accepting a property donation located at 701 Southerland Street, identified as Parcel No. 0091 06021 of the Vance County Registry.
Consideration of Approval of Resolution 19-34, approving the submittal of a grant application to the North Carolina Volkswagen Settlement Program.
Consideration of Approval of Ordinance 19-31, FY 20 BA #3, establishing a budget for the Dabney Drive Water Main Replacement.
Consideration of Approval of Resolution 19-35, authorizing an application for US Department of Justice’s 2019 BJA Justice Assistance Grant.
Consideration of Approval of Resolution 19-32, authorizing a FY 19-20 five-year loan financing with Benchmark Community Bank (BCC) approved in the FY 19-20 budget.
Consideration of Approval of Tax Releases and Refunds from Vance County for the month of June 2019.
Public comment period on non-agenda items.
Monthly reports.
Click here to view previous and current Henderson City Council meeting agendas and minutes.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/wizsfbresize_0001s_0067_hendersonlogo.png.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2019-08-12 09:38:052019-08-12 09:54:54Henderson City Council to Consider Downtown Business Curfew – Aug. 12
Almost half a century after he enrolled at the school that is now Vance-Granville Community College, Steve McRavin is giving back by establishing a pair of scholarships for today’s students.
Along with his wife, Patti, McRavin recently created annual scholarships through the VGCC Endowment Fund in memory of several of his family members.
Steve McRavin graduated VGCC with his vocational diploma in Automotive Mechanics on August 22, 1971 – the college’s first graduating class for curriculum programs. (Photo courtesy VGCC)
The Allen and Margaret Jones/Lucy Jones Allen Scholarship in Nursing is named for his grandparents and his eldest aunt, Lucy, who was a nurse. In awarding this scholarship, preference will be given to second-year Associate Degree Nursing students and students who are single parents.
Meanwhile, the Howard and Thelma “Kitty” McRavin Memorial Scholarship in Automotive honors the memory of his parents. VGCC will prioritize students in the Automotive Systems Technology, the current name for the program from which McRavin graduated, for this scholarship. In both cases, other eligibility requirements will apply.
Steve McRavin grew up on a small farm in Williamsboro, and took automotive classes at Vance County High School. Upon graduating from high school in 1970, young Steve wanted to continue learning and was excited to learn that the new Vance County Technical Institute would soon start offering automotive mechanics as one of its very first curriculum programs.
That summer, McRavin worked for a local construction company. “By coincidence, one of the jobs I worked on was helping to build the automotive and welding shop at Vance County Technical Institute,” he said. “I knew then for certain that the automotive program was going to be a reality! I got to meet Dr. Greene [the school’s first chief academic officer] when he would come out and look at the progress on the buildings, and I told him I would be enrolling that fall.”
Taking classes on that original campus – the former Maria Parham Hospital building – McRavin studied under the head of the new automotive program, the late Thomas Welch, whom he describes as “a great man.”
McRavin graduated with his vocational diploma in Automotive Mechanics on August 22, 1971, in the school’s first graduating class for curriculum programs. He then worked at the local Firestone until he was drafted in 1972 into the United States Army. He served in military intelligence for the next two decades, much of that time stationed in West Germany.
McRavin continued his education while in the service, obtaining an associate’s degree in automotive technology and a bachelor’s degree in workforce education/development because he knew he wanted to work in education in some way after his military career ended.
He retired at the rank of First Sergeant in 1992 and started working at South Puget Sound Community College in Olympia, Washington.
Steve McCravin (right) and Patti McCravin (center) receive the President’s Lifetime Circle recognition as part of the South Pudget Sound Foundation. (Photo courtesy VGCC)
Even after all those years, McRavin credited the inspiration for his new career to Mr. Welch. Starting as a lab technician for the SPSCC automotive department, McRavin served in a variety of roles: teaching automotive classes, advising students, and overseeing recruiting. He retired from the college as a full-time administrator but continues to teach there part-time.
McRavin said the new VGCC scholarships are his way of giving back to a school and a community that had helped him. The local community still includes a number of his relatives, and he has returned to visit from time to time. Describing himself as a “country boy from Vance County,” McRavin also wants to inspire today’s youth to take advantage of educational opportunities, as he did. “It’s not where you start – it’s where you end up,” he said. “You never know where you’re going to go.”
He is also not the only member of his family to benefit from the college. “One of my daughters, Gillian McRavin Johnson, graduated in 1991 from the VGCC Associate Degree Nursing program,” McRavin said. “She raves about the program at Vance-Granville to this day.” Currently a registered nurse in the state of Washington, Johnson is working on becoming a Nurse Practitioner.
McRavin’s wife, Patti, has also worked in higher education and non-profit community groups during her career.
Currently residing in Spanaway, Washington, the McRavins said that they both have a passion for higher education, because education changed the course of their lives. They have also established scholarships at South Puget Sound Community College.
“As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vance-Granville Community College, it is extremely gratifying that one of our first alumni, and someone who literally helped build the foundation of our institution, has reached out from across the country to pay forward what he received,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, VGCC’s president. “We appreciate Steve and Patti’s service to education and their generous support of our students.”
Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,400 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, call (252) 738-3409.
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-Press Release, North Carolina Department of Transportation
The N.C. Department of Transportation will host a public meeting later this month to discuss two concepts being considered to widen Creedmoor Road (U.S. 50) between Interstate 540 to north of N.C. 98 from a two-lane road to a four-lane divided highway.
The goal of the project is to ease congestion, increase access and safety, and enhance mobility to provide an improved north-south connection in the region.
The first concept would incorporate Reduced Conflict Intersections. An RCI would control the direction that motorists going onto Creedmoor Road from side streets could travel, greatly reducing the chance for crashes on the main road, and often improving travel time through the corridor. The other concept features traditional intersections. The preferred alternative may include elements of both the traditional and RCI designs, based on comments received.
Two options are also being considered for the Creedmoor Road interchange at I-540. One would improve the current diamond interchange, while the other would reconfigure it to a Diverging Diamond Interchange.
A map of the project area can be viewed on the NCDOT public meetings website. Area residents will have a chance to view them in detail at a meeting on Tuesday, August 13, from 4-7 p.m. at the Amran Shriners Club, 11101 Creedmoor Road, which is 2.2 miles north of the I-540 interchange.
No formal presentation will be made, but project staff will be available to answer questions and receive comments relative to the concepts throughout the meeting. The comments and information received will be taken into consideration as work on the project develops.
Anyone unable to attend the meeting can still offer comments via NCDOT’s public input portal, or by phone or email to Allison White, NCDOT project manager, at 919-707-6341 or akwhite@ncdot.gov by September 13, 2019.
NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for disabled persons who wish to participate in the meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Diane Wilson at pdwilson1@ncdot.gov or 919-707-6073 as soon as possible so that arrangements can be made.
Persons who have a limited ability to read, speak or understand English may receive interpretive services upon request prior to the meeting by calling 1-800-481-6494.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/NCDOT-Logo.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2019-08-09 16:55:212019-08-09 16:55:21Proposed Widening of Creedmoor Road to be Discussed at Public Meeting
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-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce
The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce will host the 21st Annual Chamber Challenge Golf Tournament presented by BB&T on Thursday, October 3, 2019, at Kerr Lake Country Club. BB&T has been the presenting Double Eagle sponsor for this event since its inception in 1999.
Eagle sponsors are Duke Energy and Maria Parham Health. Birdie sponsors are 3HC, MARS Petcare, Wake Electric Membership Corporation and Walmart DC #6091.
This Captain’s Choice (Superball) tournament will begin at 12 p.m. with lunch. Following lunch, the event will kick-off with a shotgun start.
Prizes will be awarded for the top three teams, with other prizes being awarded for the longest drive, hole-in-one, and closest to the pin. Hole-in-one sponsor is Charles Boyd Chevrolet Cadillac Buick GMC of Henderson.
Lunch and an awards ceremony will take place immediately following the tournament.
Sponsoring teams and individual registrations will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis and all Chamber members are invited to attend. A limited number of sponsorships are available for the event and for individual holes. Prize donations are also being accepted.
Chamber members who have golf-related or similar promotional items that they would like to include in “Golfer Goody Bags” that will be handed out to players and volunteers at the event should contact the Chamber to register those items. The rate for a four-person team is $440, which includes cart and greens fees, Mulligan three-pack, goody bag, lunch, complimentary beverages, snacks on the course and awards ceremony.
To register or to express interest in sponsorships, contact the Chamber at 252-438-8414.
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-Information courtesy Claire Catherwood, West End Community Watch
West End Community Watch will meet on Tuesday, August 20, 2019, at 6:30 p.m. in the Fellowship Hall of West End Baptist Church in Henderson.
The speaker will be Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame. Police will be present to provide a report about recent police activity.
All are invited. Please plan to attend!
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/West-End-Baptist-Church.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2019-08-09 16:54:152019-08-09 16:54:15West End Community Watch to Hear From Sheriff Brame, Law Enforcement
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-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford
The City of Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold their regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, August 13, 2019, at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room, City Hall.
Agenda items include:
Water and Sewer System Development Fee Presentation – City Engineer, Amy Ratliff.
Consider adopting a Resolution to accept a loan and adopt a Capital Project Ordinance for the 2017 B Sewer Line Replacement Project.
Consider adopting a Resolution to partner with the US Census Bureau and the State to ensure every resident is counted for the 2020 Census.
Please click here for complete Oxford Board of Commissioner meeting agendas and minutes.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Oxford-Logo.png265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2019-08-09 16:53:512019-08-09 16:53:51Oxford Commissioners to Hear Water/Sewer System Fee Presentation – Aug. 13
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Sharon Owens, candidate for the position of Henderson Mayor, was the guest of honor on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk.
A resident of Montgomery Street in Henderson, Owens is running against incumbent Eddie Ellington in the October 8, 2019, City of Henderson election.
Noting that her decision to run for mayor has been a topic of much self-reflection over the past year, Owens, a budget analyst with Durham Public Schools and an evangelist with Greater Refuge Church Henderson, said it was both prayer and her concern for the City of Henderson that led her to file.
Sharon Owens, candidate for the position of Henderson Mayor, is running against incumbent Eddie Ellington in the October 8, 2019, City of Henderson election. (Photo courtesy Sharon Owens)
“I have a deep concern for the City of Henderson,” Owens said. “When I look at the area now and compare it with other cities of the same size, or even compare it to our past, I am concerned.”
Owens, who has lived in Henderson all of her life minus a year she spent in Richmond, VA, said she is saddened by what issues such as crime, drugs, gangs and lack of viable job opportunities have done to the area she calls home.
“It breaks my heart when I look at how the downtown buildings have gone down, the stores have moved; nothing is like it used to be,” lamented Owens. “I can’t help but wonder what is the mindset of the City Council for downtown development and the city as a whole.”
Citing economic development as one of Henderson’s major issues, Owens said she would like to focus on bringing more jobs to the area by offering companies additional incentives. “We need to give some kind of incentive for jobs to come to the City of Henderson. When people have income and good housing, it makes them feel good about themselves and makes them want to do better.”
Acknowledging that the mayor works very closely with the city manager, Owens said she’d like to see those two positions take a more grassroots approach to affecting change in the community.
“I think that relationship should be such that we could go out into neighborhoods and talk to people at their level about [issues such as] drugs, gangs and murder, talk to people who it directly affects,” said Owens. “If we are being honest, it does not affect everyone.”
After stating the entire City of Henderson should be treated as a whole, Owens conceded, “Some areas of the city require a little more attention than others, especially the areas of high poverty.”
Owens said that she feels progress is being made in addressing issues that often accompany areas of high poverty but believes more can be done. She also believes that she is just the person to do it.
“I’m not saying that the Mayor and City Council aren’t doing a great job; they are doing a magnificent job,” Owens said.”I just believe that I can take it a little bit further.”
For more information on Owens’ campaign, visit her website by clicking here.
(This is not a paid political advertisement. WIZS is in communication with incumbent Eddie Ellington to participate in a similar interview.)
To hear Owens’ Town Talk interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.
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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice
The Department of Justice announced today that it has reached a settlement agreement with the Warren County, North Carolina, Board of Education (Warren County) that resolves a federal lawsuit brought under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) on behalf of Dwayne Coffer, a Command Sergeant Major (CSM) in the Army Reserve.
In its complaint, the United States alleged that Warren County violated USERRA by eliminating Sergeant Major Coffer’s employment position while he was on active duty with the military and failed to re-employ him in a comparable position when he returned.
Under the terms of the settlement agreement, Warren County will reinstate Coffer to the position of Dean of Students at Warren County Middle School, and provide him with back pay and pension benefits. The reinstatement position is the one that Coffer held before his period of active duty with the Army.
“Command Sergeant Major Coffer was called upon to leave his civilian employment and serve our nation, and we are grateful for his service,” said Assistant Attorney General Eric Dreiband of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. “This settlement agreement with Warren County Resolves the USERRA claims brought by the United States and serves as a reminder that our service members, like CSM Coffer, deserve fair and lawful reemployment following their returns from active military duty.”
“Members of our Reserves, like Command Sergeant Dewayne Coffer, are often called away from their civilian jobs in order to provide the security our nation depends on,” said United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon of the Eastern District of North Carolina. “These citizen service members should never face losing their jobs or be forced to accept an inferior position when they answer that call. The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act protects these brave men and women, and, as this lawsuit demonstrated, the Department of Justice is committed to enforcing it when it is violated.”
USERRA safeguards the rights of uniformed service members to return to their civilian employment following absences due to military service obligations and protect service members from discrimination on the basis of their military obligations. This case stems from a referral by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) following an investigation by the DOL’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (VETS).
After resolution failed, VETS referred the complaint to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. This lawsuit was handled by Deborah Birnbaum and Brian McEntire in the Employment Litigation Section of the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division and Assistant U.S. Attorney Michael G. James in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/U.S.-Department-of-Justice.jpg265504WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2019-08-08 17:01:202019-08-08 17:01:20Justice Department Settles Lawsuit Against Warren Co. Board of Education
