Warren Co. Memorial Library Celebrates African-American History Month 

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-Press Release, Warren County Government

Warren County Memorial Library celebrates African-American History Month through literacy, culture, and the arts. The highlight will be two special programs featuring scholars with local connections. In addition to these programs, the library will have celebratory book displays, bookmarks, reading lists, and activities.

Dr. Carlton Wilson

African Americans and the Vote – February 17, 2020 – 2 – 3 p.m.

Dr. Carlton Wilson, historian and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at North Carolina Central University, will examine Black History Month 2020’s theme: African Americans and the Vote. This presentation will cover the struggle of African Americans to gain and maintain the right to vote, emphasizing the importance of exercising a constitutional right that is the most important element of freedom and equality.

How Sweet It Is: The Musical Story of Marvin Gaye – February 29, 2020 – 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Musicologist Howard Burchette will present a look into the musical history of Marvin Gaye. Burchette has over 23 years of broadcast experience on Public Radio. Currently, he hosts The Funk Show from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturdays on 90.7 WNCU FM. This presentation will cover the phenomenal career of the Prince of Motown and will include music and images.

To learn more about African-American History Month 2020, visit the official website: https://www.africanamericanhistorymonth.gov/.

Howard Burchette

To view the writings, notes, and photographs that comprise the Library of Congress’s Rosa Parks Collection, go to https://www.loc.gov/collections/rosaparks-papers/about-this-collection/.

For more information about library programs, go to www.wcmlibrary.org for event details and additional programs offered. All library programs are free and open to the public. Visit the library for more information and resources at 119 S. Front Street, Warrenton, NC 27589. Phone: 252-257-4990.

NC Coop Extension

Cooperative Extension with Paul McKenzie 02/05/20

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Home and Garden 02/04/20

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News 02/05/20

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Town Talk 02/04/20: Jobs, Removing Barriers Focus of Desmarais’ First Year

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of Vance-Granville Community College, appeared on WIZS Town Talk Tuesday at 11 a.m.

Desmarais, who celebrated her one-year anniversary with the college in January, said she is pleased with the recent strides the college has made in workforce development, marketing and removing “barriers” to education.

Making it her mission from day one to “find the programs that could get people into jobs more quickly,” Desmarais and VGCC staff have worked with EMSI, Inc., a national firm that reviews job data, to provide information on the most needed types of employment in the local area.

“The number one and number two jobs of availability in this area were truck drivers and heavy equipment operators,” Desmarais explained of EMSI’s findings.

In response to the community’s need for truck drivers, VGCC, in partnership with Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute, now offers a truck driving program that gives students the training required to operate tractor-trailer rigs, obtain a Class A commercial driver’s license (CDL) and become professional truck drivers.

Orientation for the first nine-week program was completed last week with classes to begin Wednesday, February 12, 2020. Students will participate in a combination of classroom instruction, range driving and road driving.

According to Desmarais, 17 students are currently participating in the program and a waitlist has been started for others who are interested. “Local companies that need truck drivers are very excited about the opportunity to have local folks who can take those jobs.”

For more information on the truck driving program, please click here.

By changing the way the college approaches marketing, including getting back to basics with “going out, talking and listening to the people in the community,” Desmarais said the college is learning what local organizations and residents need while strengthening existing partnerships and creating new alliances.

“We are going back to some of the things we use to do such as offering classes out in the community,” said Desmarais. “We have started a new partnership and are offering classes at the Mary Potter School in Oxford, for example.”

Desmarais said VGCC staff are also focused on removing what is frequently considered “barriers” to education, with the recent announcement of the college’s partnership with public and rural transportation service KARTS being a prime example of this commitment.

“This program removes one of the larger barriers of education – students getting to and from college,” Desmarais said.

Thanks to a combination of grant funds and VGCC Endowment Fund donations, the KARTS service is provided free-of-charge to students attending all four VGCC campus locations – Henderson (Main), Louisburg (Franklin), Creedmoor (South) and Warrenton (Warren).

Students can make appointments for KARTS by calling (252) 438-2573 and then dialing “0.” Appointments can be made up to two weeks in advance. For more information on the KARTS program, please click here.

VGCC is currently piloting and tracking the success of another program aimed at reducing perhaps the largest barrier in education – the financial barrier.

“We know that students who get Pell Grants have a lot going on in their lives,” Desmarais stated. “They have a lot of challenges in terms of working and going to school, transportation, living arrangements, and sometimes they aren’t as successful at the school part as they’d like because life gets in the way.”

Explaining that students have to maintain a certain grade point average (GPA) to keep their financial aid, Desmarais said the college is offering a “Second Chance Scholarship” to those that may have fallen below the required GPA.

“We [VGCC] help connect them with other agencies to help them solve non-school problems that are getting in the way of them being successful here. Once we do that, we provide what we call a second chance scholarship for them to improve their GPA so that they can get back on financial aid.”

With all of this, Desmarais said the college is writing its narrative as a student-ready college. “We are going to be here for the students that we have. We are not a selective institution, but we are a quality-proud institution.”

To learn more about VGCC, please visit the college’s official website at www.vgcc.edu or visit its YouTube channel by clicking here.

To hear the interview with Desmarais in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

 

 

 

Clark Grocery Armed Robbery Suspect Arrested

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-Press Release, Vance County Sheriff’s Office

On Saturday, February 1, 2020, at 6 p.m. the Vance County Sheriff’s Office responded to Clark Grocery, located at 2064 Vicksboro Road in Henderson, NC in reference to an armed robbery with a dangerous weapon.

On Monday, February 3, 2020, Vance County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division spotted a vehicle matching the description of a robbery that occurred in the city limits of Henderson on February 2, 2020, and matched the description of the robbery that occurred on February 1, 2020.

Deputies approached the vehicle and identified the driver as Marcus Andrew Wright, age 37. Wright was detained.

Upon Vance County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division arriving at the known location, Wright was taken into custody and charged with Robbery with a Dangerous Weapon. Wright’s bond was set at $75,000. This investigation is continuing. 

Marcus Andrew Wright (VCSO photo)

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Oxford Officials Discuss Recent Crime Uptick, Offer Possible Solutions

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-Information courtesy Cynthia Bowen, City Clerk, City of Oxford

Present: Chairman Quon Bridges, Members Commissioners Pat Fields & John Tovey. Staff Advisors: Fire Chief David Cottrell III and Police Chief Al Coley.

Others Present: Mayor Jackie Sergent, City Manager Alan Thornton, City Clerk Cynthia Bowen, Commissioners Danny Currin, Ron Bullock, Patricia Gilreath, Captain Pat Ford, Lieutenants Lynn Curl, and Michel Stockwell.

Agenda Item: Discuss the City of Oxford’s coordinated response efforts to reduce unlawful activity. Chairman Bridges recognized Chief Coley, who gave the following response to the recent shootings and crime in the City of Oxford. (This is an abbreviated version of the Chief’s speech, the full version is on file at the City Clerk’s office.)

This is to inform and update everyone on the efforts of the Oxford Police Department in regards to the recent shootings and violent crimes that have occurred over the last few months. Additionally, it is my intention to illustrate some of the strategies and plans of actions that we are taking to combat these community ills. However, I will be limited in some instances from describing certain details that may compromise our objectives and/or increase the dangers to officer safety.

From November 13, 2019, through January 13, 2020:

 Oxford has experienced eight aggravated assault cases, including one (1) murder case. Of those cases, Oxford Police has arrested two (2) juveniles, one (1) adult was arrested and charged with (Assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury), warrants are on file for three (3) of the cases, and three (3) cases are pending lab results, and one case is active with few leads.

 Oxford Police was dispatched to nine (9) calls of service for shots fired. Seven (7) were unfounded, and two (2) were founded, whereby we have an active investigation ongoing and awaiting lab results. These cases are active and continuous.

 Oxford Police has investigated six (6) robberies resulting in one (1) arrest, one (1) warrant, one (1) case closed leads exhausted, and three (3) active cases.

 Oxford Police has investigated five (5) Breaking & Entering cases. Four (4) B&E cases are active, and one (1) case is inactive.

In many of the cases listed above, Oxford Police is faced with the major challenge of victims and witnesses refusing to cooperate with the investigation. The reasoning for lack of cooperation varies. However, we have found that in most instances, it is the fear of retaliation by the perpetrator.

The victim and witness fear is understandable since the law enforcement community, including Oxford Police, has experienced violent criminals making bond within hours after being arrested.

Strategies to deter crime in the City of Oxford:

 We believe the greatest leverage we have against these types of criminals is the partnership of the public and police and, to that extent, we have initiated a community watch campaign. This new initiative will begin on February 18, 2020, with a meeting at City Hall to generate momentum throughout the entire city. Detective Fields will lead the meeting explaining the operation of community watch, and City Clerk Bowen will be a point of contact in the coordination of the program throughout the city.

 Another strategy we are developing is an increased awareness campaign, whereby members of Oxford Police and I will meet citizens to discuss and answer questions related to their concerns about safety within Oxford.

 Oxford Police is exploring the use of technology to solve crimes and increase the apprehension of criminals through the use of technology. Law enforcement agencies throughout the country have begun to use the “Ring” doorbell camera technology to identify criminals during criminal activities.

 Oxford Police has initiated a “Power Shift,” whereby four selected officers have been assigned to a team to enforce and patrol high crime areas. This team has a unique schedule that constantly changes to meet the challenges and threats that our intelligence information or evidence guides us.

Although we are using many strategies and practices to deter the criminal elements within Oxford, we cannot do it alone. Therefore, we have made great relationships with other law enforcement agencies throughout the state and federally such as the Granville County Sheriff’s Department, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, neighboring agencies to include Henderson Police, Creedmoor Police, Butner Police, Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Warren County Sheriff’s Office and others.

The Oxford PD Command Staff and Chief Coley will review and evaluate their goals continuously to ensure that they are obtaining results that are reflective of a safe community.

After a brief question and answer period on the information above, the meeting was adjourned.

‘ABBAMANIA’ Taking Over McGregor Hall This Valentine’s Day

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-Information courtesy McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center

Celebrate Valentine’s Day at McGregor Hall with a night of “ABBAMANIA: An ABBA Tribute” on Friday, February 14, 2020. The performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

Come enjoy a rock musical which takes you back to the disco era with one of the best pop bands in history, ABBA. “ABBAMANIA” features nine incredible musicians and singers performing 21 of ABBA’s hits, with all the costume changes, choreography, live band, backup singers and the big studio sound.

Tickets for this event may be purchased by:

DROP-IN: 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, N.C. Monday – Friday 1:30 – 5:30 p.m

CALL: (252) 598-0662 (M-F 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.)

CLICK HERE: www.McGregorHall.org  (Use the eTix official site, online fees apply)

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Rebuilding Hope Recognized for Community Service

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-Information courtesy Rebuilding Hope

Rebuilding Hope was recognized on January 20, 2020, for its service to the community. An award was presented to RHI coordinator Randolph Wilson at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Breakfast by the Rho Beta Lambda Chapter—Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc.

The Rev. W.T. Ramey III, president of the chapter, presented the Community Service Award on behalf of the 2020 MLK Committee. Also attending from RHI were Gail Wilson, Steve Lyles and Leo Suitte.

In part, the award noted that there is no charge for work done by RHI volunteers and that the only criterion for assistance is need. Spring Street Baptist Church in Henderson hosted the event.

RHI volunteer Steve Lyles (left), RHI coordinator Randolph Wilson (center) and Rev. W. T. Ramey III (right) at the annual Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Breakfast on Jan. 20. RHI was recognized for its community service. (RHI photo)

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market Advisory Board to Meet Feb. 13

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-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, Agricultural Extension Agent, NC Cooperative Extension

The first meeting of the year for the Vance County Regional Farmers Market Advisory Board will be held on Thursday, February 13, 2020, at 2 p.m. at the Farmers Market (210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC).

Meetings are open to the public and there will be an opportunity for public comment.

For more information, please call (252) 438-8188 or email farmersmarket@vancecounty.org.