New VGCC Scholarship Endowed in Memory of Local Couple

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Dr. M.W. Wester, III, and his wife, Sara Wester, of Henderson have endowed a new scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College in memory of Dr. Wester’s parents.

The new Presidential Merit Award-level scholarship honors the legacy of the late Dr. and Mrs. M.W. Wester, Jr., better known as “Wes” and “Dee Dee” to their friends.

The late Dr. M.W. Wester, Jr. and Dee Dee Wester. (Photo contributed by the family)

The Westers met and married at Duke University, while he was a medical student and she was studying physical therapy. After completing school, they returned to his hometown, Henderson, where he opened a family medicine practice. He brought in a partner, Dr. Reg Tucker, and later Dr. Beverly Tucker, Dr. Roddy Drake, Dr. Randolph Mills and Dr. Franklin Mills.

The practice eventually became known as Henderson Family Medicine Clinic and is now Duke Primary Care Henderson. Dr. Wester was always interested in the education of new physicians and served as an adjunct faculty member at Duke and at UNC-Chapel Hill. He brought a number of medical students to the clinic in Henderson to complete their family practice rotations.

Mrs. Wester, born Eleanor Clardy, practiced physical therapy at Maria Parham Hospital for many years. Her hobby, however, was teaching ceramics, china painting and doll making at VGCC. She started teaching when the college was still a technical institute that was housed in the former Maria Parham Hospital in downtown Henderson, and she continued until 2008. Mrs. Wester also served on the VGCC Endowment Fund Board while she was serving as president of the Hospital Guild.

Sara Wester has continued her mother-in-law’s tradition of involvement with VGCC, as a member of the college’s board of trustees since 2004.

The new scholarship will be awarded to a student in a Health Sciences program.

VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson, Endowment Specialist Kay Currin and President Dr. Rachel Desmarais join Sara Wester and Dr. M.W. “Buddy” Wester, III, to celebrate the creation of the new scholarship in memory of Dr. Wester’s parents, during the 35th annual VGCC Endowment Fund Golf Tournament at the Henderson Country Club. (VGCC photo)

“This scholarship is a fitting tribute to the Westers’ lifetime of service and will inspire the students who receive it, as they pursue their own careers serving others through health care,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, VGCC’s president. “At the same time, as we celebrate the 50th anniversary of Vance-Granville, we are reminded of the important role of continuing education classes like those taught by Mrs. Wester, which have provided not only skills but also joy to members of the community throughout our history.”

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.

Triangle North Healthcare Foundation Endows Third VGCC Scholarship

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation recently endowed a new scholarship specifically designed to support Vance-Granville Community College Nursing students who are enrolled in a program to complete bachelor’s degrees.

In awarding the “Triangle North Healthcare Foundation RIBN Presidential Scholar Award,” preference will be given to students in the “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN) program. RIBN students are simultaneously enrolled at the community college and North Carolina A&T State University. They earn associate’s degrees in nursing through VGCC over three years (while also taking A&T courses online) and then continue for one year of additional courses at A&T required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.

From left, Triangle North Healthcare Foundation (TNHF) executive director Val Short, VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais and Arline Richardson, a TNHF board member and chair of its Scholarship Committee, celebrate the creation of the new scholarship. (VGCC photo)

The new endowment marks a continuation of the partnership between the college and the foundation, which has already created two VGCC Academic Achievement Scholarships, one of which is also designed to be awarded to students in the RIBN program. The Presidential Scholar Award is the college’s second-highest scholarship tier.

“Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is pleased to support the RIBN program, which enables a local student to achieve a bachelor’s degree in nursing at a university while remaining in the community,” said Val Short, the Foundation’s executive director.

Based in Henderson, the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation provides grants to nonprofits organizations, governmental agencies, and schools in Vance, Warren, Granville and Franklin counties. The Foundation also provides scholarships to students in the region who are pursuing health care careers.

“We are grateful for the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation’s partnership with our college to further strengthen the RIBN program,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, VGCC’s president. “This scholarship will be a new source of support to help outstanding Nursing students prepare for rewarding careers in health care and meet employers’ need for highly-trained professionals.”

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.

Corbitt Preservation Association Establishes Annual VGCC Scholarship

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-Information courtesy Vance-Granville Community College

On behalf of Vance-Granville Community College, Endowment Fund Director Eddie Ferguson recently accepted a check from Mr. Tom Burleson of the Corbitt Preservation Association.

The check is for an annual scholarship to be awarded to a second-year Mechatronics student holding the highest GPA. The scholarship recipient will also receive a one-year membership in the Corbitt Preservation Association.

On behalf of Vance-Granville Community College, Endowment Fund Director Eddie Ferguson (left) recently accepted a check from Mr. Tom Burleson (right) of the Corbitt Preservation Association. The check is for an annual scholarship to be awarded to a second-year Mechatronics student holding the highest GPA. (VGCC photo)

Maria Parham Health Celebrates 20th Anniversary of LifePoint Health

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-Information courtesy Maria Parham Health

This month, Maria Parham Health is celebrating the 20th anniversary of LifePoint Health, the health system of which it is a part, with a donation to United Way and Relay for Life. These donations are part of a national anniversary celebration in which LifePoint has contributed $2,000 to causes in each of the 89 communities it serves nationwide. United Way and Relay for Life were chosen by the hospital team in Henderson because it reflects LifePoint’s and Maria Parham Health’s mission of Making Communities Healthier®.

“We are delighted to celebrate LifePoint Health’s 20th anniversary in our community with a donation to United Way and Relay for Life,” said Bert Beard, chief executive officer (CEO) of Maria Parham Health. “LifePoint was founded on the idea that everyone deserves quality healthcare close to home and that strong hospitals create strong communities. We are proud to be part of the LifePoint family and excited to continue our legacy of high quality, community-based care in Vance and surrounding counties for years to come.”

LifePoint was founded in May 1999 as LifePoint Hospitals with 23 community hospitals in nine states.

The company changed its name to LifePoint Health in 2015 as a reflection of its evolution from a hospital operator to a healthcare leader providing a range of services across the communities it serves. Today, LifePoint has 89 hospital campuses, 45+ post-acute service providers and facilities and 50+ outpatient facilities across 30 states. It has nearly 60,000 dedicated employees from coast to coast, including more than 3,000 employed providers and more than 8,600 affiliated providers.

As part of its national anniversary celebration, LifePoint has committed $2,000 to support causes in each of its communities. Hospitals within these communities were encouraged to select charitable causes of their choice that reflect the needs of their respective regions. Maria Parham Health chose United Way and Relay for Life to support the local efforts United Way takes in supporting those services needed in the community and to support an organization dedicated to fighting cancer, one of the leading causes of death in the community.

“LifePoint is dedicated to creating places where people choose to come for healthcare, physicians want to practice and employees want to work,” said David Dill, president and CEO of LifePoint Health.  “We are thrilled to be celebrating a 20-year legacy of Making Communities Healthier with our employees, physicians, board members and volunteers across the nation. We are proud of how far we have come in the last two decades and are excited to continue to collaborate with the talented team at Maria Parham Health to advance our mission in the years ahead.”

For more information about Maria Parham Health, visit MariaParham.com. For more information about LifePoint Health, visit www.lifepointhealth.net.

 

U.S. Department of Justice

Michael East Confirmed as US Marshal for NC’s Eastern District

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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina comments on the confirmation of Michael East to serve as United States Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina:

“Today the United States Senate has confirmed President Trump’s nomination of Michael East to serve as United States Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina. I can think of no one better to take up this important position.

Mike East served the people of this State as an agent of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation for 28 years. There he worked as a member of the Child Fatality Task Force Prevention Team, the Crisis Negotiation Team and as Special Agent in Charge of the Financial Crimes Unit. He led investigations focused on public corruption, violent crime, drug crimes, economic crimes and many others.

More recently he has served in my office as our first Forensic Investigator in the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force where he has focused on the financial side of drug trafficking investigations. He has, likewise, played a key investigative role in our ability to prosecute heroin and opioid overdose death cases. Mike has also provided critical training and assistance to law enforcement all across the State of North Carolina, around the United States and overseas.

Mike is well-suited to lead the men and women of the United States Marshals Service here in the Eastern District. The Marshals Service provides critical investigation services in a range of cases, secures our courthouses and other federal facilities, supports federal and state prosecutions through warrant enforcement, and plays a key role in the seizure, forfeiture and disposal of property used by defendants to facilitate their criminal activity or property which is the proceeds of that activity.

Mike East will be an outstanding United States Marshal. President Trump has made an outstanding choice and I look forward to working side-by-side with Marshal East and the Marshals Service he will now lead.”

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s webpage at https://justice.gov/usao-ednc. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_EDNC.

Henderson Police Department

Dabney Drive Drug Arrest Made on Youngsville Man

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-Information gathered from Henderson Police Department report

On Sunday, May 19, 2019, at 12 p.m., Henderson police arrested Preston Moore, 28, of 1034 Tarboro Road in Youngsville, NC.

According to the police report, Moore was taken into custody at 120 Dabney Drive in Henderson (near the intersection of Dabney Dr. and Oxford Rd.).

Moore was charged with Felony Possession of a Schedule I Substance and Misdemeanor Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. He was confined to the Vance County Jail under a $10,000.00 secured bond and received a court date of June 4, 2019.

SHP Urges Motorists To Plan Ahead For Memorial Day Travel

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-Press Release, NCDPS

With an estimated 37.6 million motorists taking to the roadways, as reported by Accident Lawyer Dennis and Paul Grossman, this Memorial Day weekend, the State Highway Patrol is encouraging drivers to plan ahead before traveling.

Regardless of the intended destination, an increase in motor vehicle travel is expected which may lead to congestion on major interstate, US and NC highways. With this in mind, troopers will be out in full force to monitor driver behavior in an attempt to reduce collisions that occur from high speed, impaired and distracted driving, and lack of seat belt use. Using the Vision Zero approach, law enforcement officials hope to report zero fatal collisions throughout the holiday weekend.

In an attempt to discourage impaired driving on both roadways and waterways, SHP has combined forces with the NC Wildlife Resources Commission’s Law Enforcement Division, participating in the annual On the Road, On the Water campaign. The campaign will be conducted throughout the weekend with an intense focus on removing impaired motorists who are operating boats and motor vehicles.

Motorists are encouraged to follow these suggestions:

  • Expect Delays – research routes in advance to include secondary routes, detours and possible road closures.  This can be done by visiting www.DriveNC.com
  • Monitor Speed – speeding is still the top contributing factor to vehicle collisions.
  • Wear Seat Belts – seat belts must be worn in both front and back seats if available.
  • Avoid Road Rage – use patience when driving and avoid other motorists who may contribute to road rage situations.
  • Don’t Drive Distracted – avoid any distraction(s) while driving that reduces your ability to drive safely.
  • Collision Reporting – motorists involved in a property damage collision are asked to remove their vehicles from the roadway to the shoulder or emergency strip. Motorists involved in injury-related collisions should immediately contact 911 or *HP (*47) for emergency assistance.
  • Reporting Dangerous Drivers or Other Emergencies – motorists are encouraged to dial *HP or 911.

For non-emergency information, motorists are requested to contact the local SHP office and avoid using *HP or 911.  A list of local district offices can be obtained by visiting www.NCDPS.gov.

 

Kittrell Resident Arrested on Felony Drug, Weapon Charges

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-Press Release, Franklin County Sheriff’s Office

On May 16, 2019, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit arrested Franklin County resident, Kwarshon Rakim White of 1090 Walter Grissom Road, Kittrell, NC, on felony drug and weapon charges. The arrest was the result of citizen complaints and information provided to the Sheriff’s Office which alleged White was involved in illegal drug sells in Franklin County.

On May 16, 2019, the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit arrested Franklin County resident, Kwarshon Rakim White of 1090 Walter Grissom Road, Kittrell, NC, on felony drug and weapon charges. (Photo courtesy FCSO)

The Franklin County Sheriff’s Office Drug Unit opened an investigation into White’s activities and was able to validate the information provided. The investigation concluded with a vehicle stop and the arrest of Kwarshon Rakim White on Walter Grissom Road, Kittrell, NC. Detectives seized 90 bindles of Heroin, Marijuana, one 9mm handgun, US Currency and a 2002 Lexus LS430 vehicle during the arrest.

Sheriff Kent Winstead stated, “The citizens of Franklin County continue to be proactive and observant in their neighborhoods and once again, their assistance has proven to be important to the success of our mission. We will continue to aggressively pursue those who choose to poison our communities with these illegal drugs.”

Kwarshon Rakim White was placed in the Franklin County Detention Center under a $200,000 secured bond.

Kwarshon Rakim White DOB: 02/27/1991

1090 Walter Grissom Road Kittrell, NC 27544

Kwarshon Rakim White was charged with: four (4) counts of Possess with intent to sell and deliver a Controlled Substance, three (3) counts of sell and Deliver a Schedule I Controlled Substance (Heroin), four (4) counts of Maintain a vehicle for the purpose of storing/selling a Controlled Substance, and Possession of a firearm by a felon.

For more information concerning this investigation or to report drug activity in your neighborhood, please contact Sgt. Ken Pike at (919) 496-2186.

Terry M. Wright Chief of Staff

Community Workforce Solutions Helps Disabled Find Employment, Independence

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Sandra Waverly, job coach with Community Workforce Solutions, Inc. (CWS) in Henderson, was the guest of honor on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program.

Founded in 1964, CWS is a private non-profit organization located at 602 S. Garnett Street in downtown Henderson. Formerly known as Raleigh Vocational Center, Inc., the organization changed its name to Community Workforce Solutions in 2007.

“The building doesn’t look the way it did back then, but a lot of people like to come by and tour the place. Some say they worked there 50 years ago and want to see the building,” said Waverly.

In 2004, three years prior to its name change, the organization assumed operation of INCO.

“For over 50 years, Community Workforce Solutions has been serving the community by providing training and placement services to adults with disabilities and other barriers to employment,” Waverly said.

By partnering with community organizations and employers in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, Waverly said CWS assumes the dual role of supporting the individual and the business that hires them.

“When you hire the individual, you hire us as well. We support them with whatever they need to get the job done. It’s a win-win for the employer because they are getting a quality employee and a support staff.”

Waverly estimated that the organization currently partners with 50-60 local businesses and has 60-70 former employees on an active, long-term list that is monitored twice monthly by a long-term coach.

While employee pay begins at minimum wage, Waverly reported that several workers now receive $12 – $15 an hour, with all paychecks going directly to the individual.

To assist with the payment of wages and the training mechanism, CWS operates a thrift store, also at the 602 S. Garnett St. address.

“We offer clothes ranging from .75 cents to $7, household items and more, and we always need donations,” said Waverly. “We will help you unload it and give you a tax form if needed.”

Brunch and Learn Event

CWS is sponsoring a “Brunch & Learn” event this Friday, May 17, 2019, from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. at their Garnett St. location.

According to Waverly, the purpose of the event is to educate attendees on the services CWS offers and to connect employers with community partners. All local employers are encouraged to attend.

For more information on the brunch event, contact Rahesha Medina at (252) 572-8322 or rmedina@nc-cws.org.

To listen to the Town Talk interview with Sandra Waverly in its entirety, click here.

VGCC Honors Radiography Graduates at Pinning Ceremony 

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Twenty-two new graduates of Vance-Granville Community College’s two-year Radiography program were honored in a May 6 pinning ceremony in the college’s Civic Center.

The Radiography Class of 2019 included Frantz Alexis, Jr., of Chapel Hill; Shanice D. Alleyne, Karene Anderson, Matthew Battistel, Kristen Bowman, Starsha M. Hargrove and Dwayne Huneycutt, all of Creedmoor; Allison Weaver Wiggins of Franklinton; Samantha Pierce and Paige Snider, both of Garner; Brooklyn Rooker and Ashley Bobbitt Ward, both of Henderson; Angela Basili of Hillsborough; Shayla A. Cash and Dulce Santillan, both of Louisburg; Megan Irene Proctor of Macon; Crystal Sorrell and Megan Whitman, both of Oxford; Rubi Judith Coyote Baizabal, Celeste Evans and Treva Gordan, all of Roxboro; and Marina Rombout of Stem.

Above: members of the 2019 Radiography graduating class at Vance-Granville Community College who received their pins May 6 included, on the front row, from left: Marina Rombout, Megan Whitman, Angela Basili, Shanice Alleyne, Shayla Cash, Treva Gordan and Brooklyn Rooker; second row, from left: Ashley Ward, Paige Snider, Samantha Pierce, Dulce Santillan, Crystal Sorrell and Rubi Coyote; third row, from left: Karene Anderson, Matthew Battistel, Dwayne Huneycutt, Allison Wiggins and Kristen Bowman; back row, from left: Megan Proctor, Starsha Hargrove, Frantz Alexis and Celeste Evans. (VGCC Photo)

Angela M. Thomas, the Dean of Health Sciences/ Interim Program Head for Radiography, presided over the ceremony. She encouraged students to “love what you do or you will not give it your best; enhance your passion for giving and dream bigger than Disney World.” The ceremony featured live entertainment by Detroit Yancey, an Oxford native, who sang “Wind Beneath My Wings.”

The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Lewis Daughtry, Jr., one of the instructors for the program. He advised the students, “Do not think future opportunities are going to stop and wait for you. You must be ready.”

Rubi Judith Coyote Baizabal gave an address in response on behalf of her classmates. A Dean’s List student and Phi Theta Kappa inductee, she has served as one of her program’s representatives in the VGCC Student Government Association.

“Remember, do not bury your failures, let them inspire you,” Baizabal told her fellow students.

Lindsay Hinkle from the VA Medical Center in Durham was chosen by the graduating students to receive the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT) Certificate of Excellence for Clinical Educators. The students voted for Tabitha Owens from EmergeOrtho William Penn Plaza in Durham as the top technologist at the clinical sites in which they received their 900 hours of practical training, while the Clinical Affiliate Award of Excellence went to the EmergeOrtho William Penn Plaza in Durham.

Receiving the JRCERT Certificate of Excellence for Students was Megan Whitman, who also received the VGCC Radiography Academic Award. In a first-ever tie, the VGCC Radiography Clinical Excellence Award was presented to two students, Megan Proctor and Brooklyn Rooker.

Instructor Anthony Twisdale shared the history of the Radiographer’s Pin before he and Angela Thomas awarded the pins to each graduate. Thomas led the graduates in reciting the Radiographer’s Pledge as the ceremonies concluded.