Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 09-08-20 – Harvesting Herbs
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Henderson City Council to Hold Special Meeting on Personnel Matter – Sept. 9
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-Information courtesy the City of Henderson
Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington has requested a Special Called Meeting of the Henderson City Council for Wednesday, September 9, 2020, at 6 p.m.
The purpose of this meeting is to hold a Closed Session Pursuant to G.S. .§143-318.11 (a)(6) regarding a Personnel Matter.
This meeting will be held in Council Chambers, 134 Rose Avenue, Henderson, NC. The public is welcome to observe the taking of the roll and adjournment. Citizens and/or staff are not allowed into the Executive (Closed) Session.
Local News Audio 9-8-20 Noon
– Warrants for Se’Quayveon Batchelor for 1st Degree Murder Remain Unserved –
– Vance County Schools and the Vance County Public School Foundation Both Recipients of Walmart Grants –
– Vance Co. Board of Commissioners to Hold Monthly Meeting Tues., Sept. 8 –
– Click Play for Local News Audio and Full Details…
FCSO: Sanchez Charged With Sexual Offense, Indecent Liberties With a Child
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-Press Release and photo, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office
The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division issued warrants for the arrest of Luis Alonso Sanchez, a Franklin County resident, on August 28, 2020.
Charges consisted of the following: Statutory Sexual Offense with a Person who is 15 years of Age or Younger, Indecent Liberties with a Child, and Felony Child Abuse-Sexual Act.
Charges followed after an extensive investigation conducted by the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office and Franklin County Child Protective Services.
On September 3, 2020, Luis Alonso Sanchez was arrested at the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office without incident.
Luis Alonso Sanchez was given a $400,000 secured bond and is currently being held in the Franklin County Detention Center.
Luis Alonso Sanchez
53 years old
115 Autumn Court
Zebulon, NC 27597
Luis Alonso Sanchez
Granville Board of Education Accepting Applications for Vacant District 3 Seat
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-Press Release, Granville County Public Schools
The Granville County Board of Education will continue with six members until a replacement for District 3 is appointed. Per Policy 2115 – Unexpired Term Fulfillment, the Granville County Board of Education will proceed with the process for filling the District 3 seat made vacant by the resignation of Mr. Rob Rivers effective September 30, 2020.
It is the intent of the Board to identify and appoint a suitable candidate for this position using the process outlined below, with the ultimate goal of serving the students of Granville County Public Schools.
Interested candidates should review the “Duties of the Board” guidelines issued by the NC School Board Association, which may be found at the NCSBA website: https://www.ncsba.org/news-
Candidates should submit a letter of interest, a C.V. or resume, and three letters of recommendation to Ms. Lynn Henderson, by the close of business, September 30, 2020. These documents should provide information that highlights the candidate’s ability and experiences related to education and service to children.
All candidates must reside in District 3 in order to be considered for this position. Proof of residency will be required. District 3 map and information may be found at the Granville County website: https://www.granvillecounty.
During its regular scheduled meeting on October 5, 2020, the Board will review the documents submitted by each candidate and vote to issue invitations to those the Board wishes to interview.
During a special called meeting to be scheduled in October 2020, the Board will interview candidates (the Board will use a list of questions asked of each candidate, chosen at the beginning of the meeting).
At its regular scheduled meeting on November 2, 2020, the Board will vote on who will fill the unexpired term of District 3. Interviews and vote will take place in Open Session.
At a date to be determined, the chosen candidate will take the oath of office.
NOTE: If no suitable candidates are selected, the above process will be repeated as necessary, with new dates selected, until the position is filled.
Double Voting is a Violation of NC Law, Class I Felony
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The following is a message to North Carolina voters from Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the North Carolina State Board of Elections:
It is illegal to vote twice in an election. N.C.G.S. § 163-275(7) makes it a Class I felony for a voter, “with intent to commit a fraud to register or vote at more than one precinct or more than one time…in the same primary or election.” Attempting to vote twice in an election or soliciting someone to do so also is a violation of North Carolina law.
There are numerous checks in place in North Carolina that prevent people from double voting. Electronic pollbooks with information about who has already voted are used at every early voting site. If a voter tries to check in who has already voted, they will be prevented from voting a regular ballot. A voter will be offered a provisional ballot if they insist on voting, and this ballot will be researched after Election Day to determine whether it should be counted.
On Election Day, voters who have voted absentee are removed from the pollbook, which is updated before voting starts at 6:30 a.m. Absentee ballots that are received on Election Day are not counted until after the election, and this prevents double voting.
Also, the State Board conducts audits after each election that check voter history against ballots cast and would detect if someone tries to vote more than once in an election. Because absentee ballots and early voting ballots are retrievable, if someone tries to get around the system, their ballot can be retrieved and not counted, so it will not affect the outcome of an election.
The State Board has a dedicated investigations team that investigates allegations of double voting, which are referred to prosecutors when warranted.
If you request an absentee by-mail ballot but decide later that you would like to vote in person instead, you may. You should discard your absentee ballot. Do not send it back in.
If you have already placed your ballot in the mail but are not sure whether it has been accepted by your county board of elections, North Carolina offers a few ways to check the status of your absentee by-mail ballot without leaving your home.
Voters can:
- Check your voter record at the State Board’s Voter Search Tool to find out whether your ballot was accepted by your county board of elections. This information will appear in the voter record after a ballot has been accepted.
- Sign up for BallotTrax, when it launches in the next few days, to track your ballot through the system. BallotTrax is a new service that will allow voters to track their ballot through the mail and confirm receipt by the county board of elections, much like they can track their online order or pizza delivery. When it launches, a link will be available at NCSBE.gov.
- Contact your county board of elections if you have questions about ballot status.
The State Board office strongly discourages people from showing up at the polls on Election Day to check whether their absentee ballot was counted. That is not necessary, and it would lead to longer lines and the possibility of spreading COVID-19.
North Carolina elections officials encourage voters to request their ballot as soon as possible and return it as soon as they are ready to do so. By doing so, you can track your ballot and ensure your vote counts.
Walmart Provides $5,000 Grants to Vance County Schools, Public School Foundation
THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
-Information and photo courtesy Vance County Schools
Walmart recently awarded a $5,000 grant to Vance County Schools (VCS) and a $5,000 grant to the Vance County Public School Foundation (VCPSF). The grants were provided upon the recommendation of the local Walmart Distribution Center/Transportation Office after its review of the needs in Vance County.
The Vance County Schools grant will provide opportunities to all students within the school district as art teachers are outfitted with document cameras for their classrooms. Mr. Markoch, Vance County Schools Director of Fine Arts, shares that “these devices will provide our students with increased technology as an additional resource for bringing instruction to students and modeling projects at all grade levels, both while we are teaching virtually and later when we are back together in our buildings. This will expand classroom accessibility for all of our students.”
Grant presented to Dr. Trixie Brooks, VCS Assistant Superintendent; Aarika Sandlin, VCS Public Information Officer; and Andrew Markoch, VCS Director of Fine Arts, during a Check Presentation Ceremony at Walmart Distribution Center in Henderson, NC.
The Vance County Public School Foundation grant will help create Arts and Rec toolkits for elementary-aged students. Each kit will contain various items for students to utilize at home, allowing them greater access to areas of the arts and physical
education.
VCPSF is partnering with local businesses, churches and organizations to maximize the efforts of this program. Aarika Sandlin, Public Information Officer for Vance County Schools, shares “whether students are receiving instruction at home or in the classroom, access to resources is one of the keys to success for students. This grant, along with partnerships throughout our community, makes it possible for us to provide our families with Arts and Rec toolkits, and, for that, we are extremely grateful.”
Oxford Board of Commissioners to Hold Regular Monthly Meeting This Evening
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-Information courtesy City of Oxford
The Oxford Board of Commissioners will hold a regular monthly meeting on Tuesday, September 8, 2020, at 7 p.m. online via Zoom.
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84686619805?pwd=U0pnVUpDODcwdDdlR1NrTmdWVy 9MZz09
Meeting ID: 846 8661 9805
Passcode: 981612
Dial by your location: +1 929 205 6099
Please click here for meeting agendas and minutes.
Sober Driving ‘Essential’ for Safe Roadways During Labor Day
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-Press Release, North Carolina Department of Transportation
This Labor Day, the Governor’s Highway Safety Program is joining forces with the North Carolina Trucking Association, the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety also known as (NETS), the North Carolina Highway Patrol and members of more than 500 law enforcement agencies around the state to help curb impaired driving.
Over the 2019 holiday week, 10 people died and almost 600 were injured as a direct result of impaired driving across our roadways. In addition, 66 lives were claimed due to speeding, and distracted and sleepy driving.
“This Labor Day as we continue to monitor drunk-driving trends, we are calling on our partners in law enforcement to not only help remove drunk drivers from the roadways but to also encourage hard-working North Carolinians to find ways to safely unwind,” said Mark Ezzell, Director of the Governor’s Highway Safety Program (NCGHSP).
Tiffany Wright with AAA Carolinas projects that amidst Covid-19, many will be traveling, but closer to home, visiting North Carolina beaches, mountains, as well as family members and friends. Unfortunately, she says, some will be impaired behind the wheel.
“In response to the troubling number of deaths on the road as a result of impaired driving, we’re united in the plea encouraging North Carolina drivers to travel sober, obey traffic safety laws and drive vigilantly,” said Wright.
In addition to high-visibility saturation patrols across all 100 counties, the NCGHSP is utilizing the voices (download video here) of those who travel the most roadway miles across our state…truckers.
“I’ve seen a lot of bad decisions made behind the wheel; people getting dressed, texting, reading the newspaper, and putting on makeup,” said D. Luke Mallory, Road Team Captain with the North Carolina Trucking Association. “Some are even using prescription drugs, illegal substances and drinking while driving.”
North Carolina truckers travel about 7.7 billion roadway miles of the 111.9 billion driven annually by all motorists. That puts them and other essential workers from the fields of medicine, utilities, food, emergency, industrial and commercial industries at increased risk on our highways.
“Impaired and dangerous driving affects me and the other hard-working men and women who have been stretched thin working hard to replenish our supply chains,” Mallory said. “I’m personally asking people this Labor Day to make better decisions behind the wheel.”
Trucking industry positions account for about 1 in 16 jobs in the state. And while the North Carolina Trucking Association puts safety first through improved driver training, Tara Casanova Powell of the Network of Employers for Traffic Safety, a national industry group, urges all employers to consider traffic safety as an important part of employee wellness.
“We’re asking each employer, what happens when that worker who manages your payroll, or your website, or other employees, gets arrested for DWI,” Powell asks. “What happens if they hit and kill someone while under the influence? It doesn’t matter if this happens on- or off-the-job. The cost of impaired driving is not one that is exclusively paid by the perpetrator, as you as an employer also become a victim. Impaired driving costs lives, reputations, money and relationships, and it’s all preventable. Impaired driving costs incurred by employers include lost time, sick leave, and health insurance costs to name a few.”
Powell says while many companies are focused on shifting their office cultures, they should consider making pre-planning part of their business models as well.
“Encourage your workers to plan ahead, call a ride-share, take public transportation or phone a friend, maybe even you, before they get behind the wheel impaired,” she added.” Their lives and your bottom line are counting on it.”
But of course, if drivers don’t adhere to the harkening of these voices, they’ll be met by the keepers of the peace.
“Our roadways will not go unchecked by the Highway Patrol or any of the 500 law enforcement agencies across our state,” said Colonel Glenn McNeill of the North Carolina State Highway Patrol. “If you are impaired behind the wheel, we will be there. If you are speeding, we will be there. If you are distracted, we will be there. If you are putting others at risk, we will be there.”
VGCC Vice President Appointed to Black Entrepreneurship Council
THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY
-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Dr. Jerry Edmonds, III, a vice president at Vance-Granville Community College, is among 25 individuals recently appointed to serve on the inaugural North Carolina Black Entrepreneurship Council (NC BEC).
NC IDEA, a Durham-based private foundation committed to supporting entrepreneurial ambition and economic empowerment in North Carolina, formed the council to serve the entrepreneurial aspirations and economic potential of North Carolina’s Black community.
“I am excited to have the opportunity to work with such an accomplished team of North Carolina entrepreneurs, educators and community leaders,” Edmonds said. “Collectively, we have the opportunity to provide valuable mentorship and access to capital through the NC Black Entrepreneurship Council. This important work aligns with that of VGCC in educating students for the workforce of tomorrow while promoting entrepreneurship as an important career option in an ever-changing workplace.”
“We are encouraged and humbled that our announcement of the Council drew an overwhelming response from accomplished individuals, affirming community support for this vital work,” said Thom Ruhe, CEO and President of NC IDEA. “The Council will focus on economically empowering Black people with entrepreneurship, thereby combating economic inequality that perpetuates racial disparities,” Ruhe added.
The NC BEC will help guide the NC IDEA Foundation in its programmatic and grant making ambitions in furtherance of North Carolina’s Black community. Council members will work closely with the Foundation to identify, recommend and support partners and programs with the expressed purpose of elevating Black Entrepreneurship in North Carolina. Service on the Council will also include input on the Foundation’s funding decisions, specifically grants awarded to partner organizations through the NC IDEA ECOSYSTEM program.
A resident of Henderson, Edmonds has served as Vice President of Workforce Development and Community Engagement at VGCC since 2019. He oversees training programs that respond to community needs and prepare students for workforce success, including apprenticeship programs, and economic development support for the region. In addition, Edmonds leads the development of partnerships with businesses and government agencies and coordinates outreach and marketing for the entire college.
Edmonds previously served as Dean of Workforce and Economic Development at Halifax Community College. Prior to his role as Dean, he served as the Small Business Center Director at Halifax Community College, from 2014 until 2017. Edmonds worked for International Business Machines (IBM) and Johnson and Johnson in the private sector before entering the higher education field, earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree, with an emphasis on Marketing, from Marshall University and his Master of Science degree in Human Services Management from Springfield College. He recently received his Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree in Educational Leadership from Wisconsin-based Edgewood College.
“We are proud of Dr. Edmonds’ appointment to the NC BEC, as it provides yet another avenue for VGCC to be a catalyst in supporting strong communities where everyone can experience a fulfilling quality of life,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, president of the community college. “Indeed, Dr. Edmonds is uniquely qualified to make an important contribution to this council, as he is one of the few members who represents an area that includes the rural ‘Tier 1’ counties that often have the most acute needs.”