Entries by Laura Gabel

Project-Based Learning Charter School Starting In Vance County; Sledge Institute

Sledge Institute is a new charter school opening in Vance County in August 2025, with a focus on project-based learning that links students with the community to put into action what they’re learning in the classroom. Chandra Sledge Mathias, Ed.D, founder and chief executive officer, said the enrollment period is open now through Feb. 28, […]

TownTalk: Adopt From The Local Animal Shelter This Holiday Season

The dogs and cats at the Vance County Animal Shelter are so stinkin’ cute, according to Director William Coker, that even he couldn’t resist the temptation. Coker said he’d never been a cat owner – until he fell in love with a kitten at the shelter. “I ended up adopting that kitten myself,” he told […]

Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon Resigns

Henderson City Manager Terrell Blackmon has resigned. In a special called meeting on Sunday, Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. called by Mayor Melissa Elliott, the city council entered into closed session to discuss a personnel matter. The information available after the council returned to open session was scant, but in addition to the resignation, it […]

Sossamon Files Protests To Results Of Nov. 5 Election As Recount Continues

N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon has filed protests with the Vance and Granville elections boards, citing that, at least in Vance County, votes were counted when, for a variety of reasons, they shouldn’t have been. In an emergency meeting of the N.C. State Board of Elections, Sossamon was among four candidates from across the state whose […]

TownTalk: The Barefoot Movement Headlines Hurricane Relief Concert At SGHS

The Barefoot Movement’s Noah Wall and Tommy Norris have a deep connection to western North Carolina and east Tennessee, just over the Blue Ridge Mountains. They were dating and in a band when Norris was a student at Western Carolina and Noah was at East Tennessee State, and the two would meet in Asheville for […]

TownTalk: Around Old Granville: First Families

Just as in today’s real estate market, the phrase “location, location, location” rang true in the days when the very first families came to the area once known as Granville County. The English folks who’d settled Jamestown were branching out in the pre-Revolutionary era of the 1700’s and they looked south for more opportunities, said […]

TownTalk: New Corbitt Book – ‘Tar Heel Treasures’

A new book is out that captures, in words and photographs, some of the most admired and loved products ever to be made in Henderson – the Corbitt truck. Tar Heel Treasures: Richard J. Corbitt and the Corbitt Motor Co. is available for purchase now, and Corbitt truck enthusiast Kenneth Stegall said the book is […]

Local Cattle Owners Have Oct. 30 Referendum Vote

On Oct. 30, local cattle producers are asked to vote on a referendum to continue the North Carolina Cattle Industry Assessment to fund beef promotion in the state. The national Beef Checkoff program collects $1 per head of cattle sold in the state, and 50 cents stays in North Carolina, explained Matthew Place, N.C. Cooperative […]

Dr. Roddy Drake Recipient Of Order Of The Long Leaf Pine

With family, friends and colleagues looking on, W. Rodwell Drake, M.D. – Roddy – became the most recent recipient of The Order of the Long Leaf Pine. Rep. Frank Sossamon presented Drake with the framed award Thursday morning on behalf of N.C. Gov. Roy Cooper. “It’s important to recognize people who have served us and […]

VCS Students Complete Tiny House; First Open House Sept. 20

For the next two Fridays, the Vance County High School parking lot will be the location of an Open House. Wait. In the parking lot? Yep. That’s where the Tiny House is located, and high school CTE students built it. And it’s for sale. The open house events will be held Friday, Sept. 20 and […]