VGCC forms new partnership with UNC Wilmington

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–press release courtesy of VGCC

Vance-Granville Community College continues to show its commitment to building partnerships that provide meaningful pathways for students seeking to transfer to a four-year university. Recently, VGCC solidified a partnership with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW). The UNCW & VGCC “Pathways to Excellence” program will provide transfer students from the community college with guaranteed admission to UNCW.

VGCC is one of a host of community colleges from various regions across the state to sign on as a part of the Pathways to Excellence program with UNCW due to the quality of education that transfer students will receive at the institution. VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais and UNCW Chancellor Dr. Jose V. Sartarelli inked the partnership agreement, and expressed enthusiasm about how it will benefit students.

“The co-admission agreement between VGCC and UNCW is a fine example of innovation and collaboration,” said Dr. Desmarais, president of the community college. “We look forward to helping our Vanguards achieve their academic and career goals by continuing their education as UNCW Seahawks.”

Pathways to Excellence guarantees admission to UNCW for students completing an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in transferable, college-level coursework from VGCC. As a part of the agreement, VGCC students will have access to a Transfer Student Success Coordinator that will meet with students at Vance-Granville throughout each semester. Students will have the benefit of working with their VGCC advisor and the Transfer Student Success Coordinator from UNCW. VGCC students will have the opportunity to attend an open house event, as well as an application event in the spring on the community college campus, and will receive a university application fee waiver as a transfer student.

“We are elated to partner with UNCW on the Pathways to Excellence program,” said Dr. Levy Brown, VGCC’s vice president of learning, student engagement and success. “This is another example of our dedicated team seeking opportunities to provide multiple pathways to success for students. The goal is for our transfer students to receive an excellent experience at VGCC and move on to the University of their Choice. It is wonderful that this UNCW program is now an option for students in our communities!”

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about this guaranteed admission partnership between VGCC and UNCW, please call VGCC at (252) 738-3234. If you are interested in enrolling at VGCC, please apply at www.vgcc.edu or call (252) 738-3234.

–vgcc–

(VGCC is a paying advertising client of WIZS and WIZS.com.  This is not a paid ad.)

NCDOT

S-Line Rail Corridor Goes Straight Through Henderson

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The S-Line rail corridor goes straight through downtown Henderson.  The future of the route from Petersburg, Virginia down to the Virginia line and then the NC Department of Transportation’s portion from Virginia to South Carolina could spawn additional economic development for the local Henderson area.

Being a mainline portion of the Southeast Corridor and possibly a higher speed line would help too.

For now, the news is the fact that NCDOT has been awarded a grant for development planning near passenger rail stations.

Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington is quoted in a press release from NCDOT, and he said, “Our community was founded on rail traffic in 1841. It is only natural that our resurgence is based on this same driving force for economic development, connecting us to greater opportunities. The regional cooperation and resulting benefit this project represents is government at its best.”

Julie White, NCDOT’s deputy secretary for Multimodal Transportation said in the press release: “We’re grateful to be working with cities and towns that understand how passenger rail service can spur economic development.  This as a great opportunity to use passenger rail to better connect rural and urban communities. It should serve as a model for future projects.”

In our area, Henderson and Franklinton contributed the necessary matching funds for the grant.

Franklinton Mayor Art Wright is quoted in the press release saying, “The Town of Franklinton is looking forward to working with our neighbors along the S-line to develop a community that will support passenger rail. This funding will promote Franklinton’s rich rail history and expand downtown.”

The grant money can be used to develop plans for areas around rail stations.

In Henderson, that plan will need to look at plans for the actual rail station itself.  The only actual passenger station along the line is long gone, and the metal and plexiglass hut that sat at the corner of Williams and Montgomery Streets downtown was removed after the final AMTRAK operated “Silver Star” departed for the final time in the mid 1980s.

The bigger picture is all these smaller pieces are adding up. This grant now, and the next press release about another grant later, and when the news of hiring a new Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission director comes, and with the recent hiring of a new Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission director, and downtown Main Street status in Henderson, and an expanded industrial park, and other growth and development, it’s all chipping away at the problem and putting down new roads to success.

If you’d like to hear more about the S-Line, listen back to TownTalk from October 28, 2020 and NCDOT guest Jason Orthner, Rail Division Director.

 

— NCDOT Press Release

NCDOT Awarded Grant for Development Planning Near Passenger Rail Stations

​Federal funding will help communities plan for development on S-Line corridor

Raleigh — The Federal Transit Authority has awarded the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division a $900,000 grant to help Triangle area communities create plans for development along the S-Line rail corridor.

The S-Line corridor is a passenger rail line that starts at the Virginia border, runs through Raleigh, and ends at the South Carolina state line.

“We’re grateful to be working with cities and towns that understand how passenger rail service can spur economic development,” said Julie White, NCDOT’s deputy secretary for Multimodal Transportation. “This as a great opportunity to use passenger rail to better connect rural and urban communities. It should serve as a model for future projects.”

The following towns contributed matching funds for the grant: Apex, Franklinton, Henderson, Raleigh, Sanford and Wake Forest. The towns will use the grant money to develop plans for the areas around the rail stations. The plans will explore how the rail stations will bolster economic development in their town centers and enable these communities to plan for connections to bus service, micro transit, bicycle paths and greenways.

Mayors of the towns that contributed matching funds to the grant provided the following comments.

Apex Mayor Jacques K. Gilbert said:
“The Town of Apex is thrilled to join the North Carolina Department of Transportation and our regional partners in this forward-thinking effort to plan for the future of passenger rail along the S-Line corridor. Working together, we will realize the substantial economic and mobility benefits of passenger rail for our communities.”

Franklinton Mayor Art Wright said:
“The Town of Franklinton is looking forward to working with our neighbors along the S-line to develop a community that will support passenger rail. This funding will promote Franklinton’s rich rail history and expand downtown.”

Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington said:
“Our community was founded on rail traffic in 1841. It is only natural that our resurgence is based on this same driving force for economic development, connecting us to greater opportunities. The regional cooperation and resulting benefit this project represents is government at its best.”

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said:
“This grant is crucial to moving the S-Line project ahead and restoring passenger rail service between Raleigh and Richmond. In the long-term, the S-Line will improve mobility and reduce congestion, not only in Raleigh, but across the region. I am thrilled to continue working with everyone involved in this project, and deeply appreciate FTA’s support.”

Sanford Mayor Chet Mann said:
“Sanford is thrilled with the prospect of having passenger rail on the S-Line. We have a rich train history as we were founded at the rail crossing in 1874 in what is now our Depot Park. We see multimodal transportation as a key component to any growing community. This project will usher in a new wave of economic development around an area in our town already designated for revitalization. We are grateful to be partnering with the NCDOT and all the other stakeholders involved in this project and we are beyond excited at watching what happens as this project evolves.”

Wake Forest Mayor Vivian A. Jones said:
“We’ve been working on bringing passenger rail to Wake Forest for quite a while. We recognize there’s a strong demand out there, so we are excited about this opportunity and are looking forward to getting it done.”

U.S. Department of Justice

Henderson-Vance Benefit as U.S. Attorney Takes Back Eastern NC

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The U.S. Department of Justice has recognized the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina because of the Project Safe Neighborhoods Initiative.

Relationship building among prosecutors and federal, state and local law enforcement has led to arrests and convictions for drug, drug trafficking and violent crimes and the involved criminal organizations.

Since the initiative started in 2018, more than 1,600 individuals have been prosecuted, representing a 50 percent increase in the number of people charged compared to 2016-2017 in eastern North Carolina.

The aggressive Take Back North Carolina effort has resulted in a 60% reduction in robberies in Henderson and a 21% decrease in aggravated assaults, according to the press release below.

You’ve heard the phrase Project Safe Neighborhoods on WIZS News or read it on WIZS.com 58 times in 2019-2020.  Those times were just for Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin Counties.

Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina said, “When I took office as the United States Attorney, the President and the Attorney General made it clear that job one in our District was to reduce crime rates and to attack drug trafficking organizations operating here. We have taken that task very seriously and, because of the hard work of so many, we have seen those crime rates decline as we have removed the drivers of those crime rates from our cities and towns. This award honors a sustained effort by many, many dedicated public servants and it is a privilege to accept this award on their behalf.”

The press release also indicates Vance County has enrolled in the Educating Kids about Gun Violence (EKG) program, which assisting in reducing violent crimes in Fayetteville by 10 percent in the last five years for student-aged young people.

– Press Release 

U.S. Department of Justice Recognizes U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina for its Work with Project Safe Neighborhoods

Take Back North Carolina Receives National Award as the Outstanding Overall Partnership/Task Force

RALEIGH – The Department of Justice has recognized the Take Back North Carolina initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina with its Outstanding Overall Partnership/Task Force Award in support of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) Initiative.

“We are extremely gratified and humbled by the Attorney General’s recognition of the important work being done by federal, state and local law enforcement, our partners in the District Attorneys’ Offices and by the men and women of my office as we seek to drive down crime rates and deliver safer communities to all the citizens of the Eastern District.” Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina said. “When I took office as the United States Attorney, the President and the Attorney General made it clear that job one in our District was to reduce crime rates and to attack drug trafficking organizations operating here. We have taken that task very seriously and, because of the hard work of so many, we have seen those crime rates decline as we have removed the drivers of those crime rates from our cities and towns. This award honors a sustained effort by many, many dedicated public servants and it is a privilege to accept this award on their behalf.”

In early 2018, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina launched Take Back North Carolina in an effort to drive down spiraling crime rates and to attack drug trafficking organizations – specifically violent crime and drug activities caused by gangs and other national and transnational organizations. Through the initiative, teams of Assistant United States Attorneys and legal support staff were deployed across the 44 counties of the Eastern District focusing on six broad geographic areas. Each team was tasked with building strong relationships with federal, state and local law enforcement operating in those areas and they worked in close coordination with the 15 elected District Attorneys who prosecute state crimes in North Carolina courts in the eastern half of the State. Building on these relationships, our prosecutors worked to identify the individuals who are driving the crime problem in the communities in their assigned area and with charging and prosecuting those individuals in an effort strategically designed to reduce violent crime rates and disrupt and dismantle drug trafficking operations across the District.

Since the Initiative’s inception, more than 1600 individuals have been prosecuted as part of this Initiative, representing a more than 50% increase in the number of defendants charged by this office over those charged in 2016 and 2017. But, more importantly, due to the strategic targeting of the drivers of our violent and drug crime problems, many communities have seen measurable – and in some cases dramatic – reductions in the violent crime rates. For example, based on data analyzed and provided by our research partners at the University of North Carolina – Greensboro, the following cities saw significant reductions in crime rates during 2018 and 2019[1] while participating aggressively in the Take Back North Carolina Initiative:

-Jacksonville – 50% reduction in homicides; 42% decrease in robberies; 83% reduction in aggravated assaults;

-Henderson – 60% reduction in robberies; 21% decrease in aggravated assaults;

-Greenville – homicides down 60%; robberies reduced by 15%.

And, these results have been replicated in communities of all sizes all across the Eastern District. We have also seen the prosecution of the leadership of numerous sects of violent, drug-trafficking gangs across the District. Targeting the leadership of the various Bloods organizations, the Take Back North Carolina Initiative has worked to disrupt and dismantle their operations in this federal district.

Drugs fuel gun violence and the opioid crisis is no exception. Aside from increasing the number of deaths resulting from heroin overdose cases prosecuted, TBNC has also focused on educating the public about the heroin epidemic through the establishment of the USAO Heroin Education Action Team (USA-HEAT). USA-HEAT works to reduce the growing harm to North Carolina families caused by heroin/opiate abuse, partnering with the Drug Enforcement Administration, local law enforcement, community health professionals, and family members who have lost a loved one to a drug overdose. In the last six months, the USAO has conducted 17 training events, each lasting 1-3 hours with content tailored to that audience (e.g., first responders and community groups). Other prevention efforts include the Educating Kids about Gun Violence (EKG) program – part of the Fayetteville Police Department’s Operation Ceasefire, created in 2002 under the umbrella of PSN and USAO-EDNC. In the past 5 years, 25,241 students in Fayetteville have been educated through EKG. Overall violent crime for this age group has decreased 10% city wide since EKG began. Other PSN sites – Goldsboro, Pasquotank County, Kinston, and Vance County have adopted the EKG program. Other prevention efforts include re-entry programs, and an outdoor movie series to engage the community and create public awareness about gun violence. In 2019, 1,425 people attended 6 movie nights in Fayetteville and Cumberland County.

TBNC PSN sites have worked hard to develop an effective public messaging strategy for each community utilizing press releases, press conferences, and advertising campaigns highlighting the penalties for committing federal crimes. In the last two years, the USAO-EDNC issued over 250 press releases highlighting PSN cases and has held numerous press conferences highlighting TBNC success stories. The USAO has produced hundreds of posters for PSN sites to help spread public awareness and has worked with the Executive Office for United States Attorney’s to develop multiple Public Service Announcements (PSA) focusing on violent crime and opioids. These PSA’s have been widely distributed across EDNC for use by the media and communities.

Revitalized in 2017, PSN is a critical piece of the Department’s crime reduction efforts. PSN has focused on prosecuting those individuals who most significantly drive violence in our communities and supports and fosters partnerships between law enforcement and schools, the faith community, and local community leaders to prevent and deter future criminal conduct.

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New Visitor Restrictions at Maria Parham

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

New visitor restrictions at Maria Parham Health go into effect Monday, December 14, 2020.

No visitor policies will be in place.  The policies, along with what is allowed, are outlined below.

Vance County Courthouse

Chief Justice Announces Postponement of Many Court Proceedings for 30 Days

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First, the local news WIZS has learned from the Clerk of Court in Vance County, the Hon. Henry L. Gupton.  This information from Gupton replaces all other local information for Vance County you may have read or heard.  Updated 12-11-2020 at 4:45pm.

Gupton said, “After talking with our judges per notification we have received from (the North Carolina Administrative Office of the Courts) in Raleigh, beginning on Monday, December 14th and continuing for 30 days, all of our District Court Sessions have been cancelled.

“However, we will be conducting 96-hr, 48-hr hearings and any other statutory cases that need to be heard. All defendants will be notified in reference to a new court date. Also we have Superior Court scheduled for next week beginning on Monday. However Monday is cancelled. We are going to leave Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday open right now to determine if we will proceed with those days. We do have our Grand Jury scheduled to convene on Wednesday. That will go on as scheduled. Also, we will be holding our Small Claims Court session as scheduled.”

Second now for the wider area, a press release from the North Carolina Judicial Branch as the Chief Justice has announced postponement of many court proceedings for 30 days.

Chief Justice Cheri Beasley announced today that North Carolina Courts will postpone non-essential, in-person court proceedings for 30 days, beginning Monday, December 14.

“In light of the recent surge of new COVID-19 cases in North Carolina and in our courts, this pause is necessary to protect the health and safety of our court personnel and the public,” said Chief Justice Cheri Beasley. “Throughout the pandemic, we have moved an unprecedented amount of court work online, including hearings. Those efforts will allow us to limit in-person proceedings for the next few weeks while making sure our courts stay available to serve the public.”

In recent weeks, the number of North Carolina counties categorized as “red” or “orange” by the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS) has more than doubled. More than 80 counties are experiencing substantial or critical community spread of COVID-19. This recent surge in COVID-19 cases, percent positivity, and hospitalizations has strained court operations. Since the onset of the pandemic, Judicial Branch officials and employees have reported 291 confirmed positive cases, and over half of North Carolina’s county courthouses have been partially or completely closed due to COVID-19. Eleven of the courthouse closures have occurred in this week alone.

Community spread of COVID-19 is expected to peak through the winter, and it is imperative that court operations remain as limited as possible through the next 30 days. Fortunately, court operations are typically reduced through the end of the calendar year even under normal conditions. With few jury trials scheduled and courts conducting many proceedings remotely, the impact on court dockets should be minimal.

“I am gravely concerned with the recent surge in positive cases, but with this new directive, I am confident that potential exposures will be significantly reduced if we work together to adhere to health and safety guidelines,” said the Chief Justice.

The Chief Justice is expected to enter an order in the coming days to renew existing Emergency Directives and implement the Emergency Directive announced today.

In addition to today’s announcement, Chief Justice Beasley called a meeting of the Judicial Branch COVID-19 Task Force to discuss emergency directives and policy changes related to the COVID-19 health emergency. The Task Force will meet from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. on December 15, 2020. The media and the public are invited to attend the online meeting via Webex.

To view a list of previous orders from the Chief Justice and the Supreme Court of North Carolina, please visit the continuously updated Coronavirus (COVID-19) announcement page. The public is encouraged to visit NCcourts.gov to find answers to frequently asked questions before calling the local courthouse.  Announcements from local counties about changes to court operations can be found on the county page as well as the closings and advisories page. The public may also visit the Judicial Branch Facebook page and Twitter account to access information related to the coronavirus health concern.

Youngsville, NC

Youngsville Christmas Parade Press Generates $11K for Needy Children

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release, Town of Youngsville

At the end of a year that found too many Americans isolated and dejected due to a wide variety of challenges, the annual Christmas parade in Youngsville, North Carolina helped encourage warm-hearted people from across the nation to respond in the most Christmas-like of ways.

At the conclusion of a hectic week leading up to the town’s Christmas parade, Mayor Fonzie Flowers appeared live on the nationally broadcast ‘Fox and Friends’ television show just two hours before the parade began. After reiterating the town’s careful guidance and precautions to facilitate a safe parade, Mayor Flowers then asked viewers to consider donating to the town’s Shop with a Cop program.

In the 24 hours that followed the mayor’s appearance on national TV, the town received more than $11,000 in donations from at least 500 individual donors – over ten times what the program brought in last year.

This outpouring of support was no surprise to town leaders since the response to the decision to move forward with the Youngsville parade was overwhelmingly positive. In a video published via the town’s YouTube channel, Mayor Fonzie Flowers said, “a tally of the responses to the town’s social media communications regarding our parade has yielded a total of 1,001 positive responses and only 30 negative responses. In other words, more than 97% of community members support the town’s decision. Rest assured that – at least in Youngsville – the will of the people will always be heard.”

Youngsville Chief of Police J. G. Whitley proclaimed, “We never expected this type of response. All I can say is there will be a lot of very happy children this year in Youngsville. All these donations will bring immeasurable joy into the homes of some Youngsville families that are most in need. We cannot thank our community and these generous donors enough.”

The Shop with a Cop event will begin at the town’s community building (115 E. Main Street) at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15, 2020. Residents can donate by clicking on the pop-up notification on the town’s website (townofyoungsville.org) or by visiting tinyurl.com/donate-shop-cop.

NC Governor Logo

NC to Begin Modified Stay at Home Order Dec. 11

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release, Office of Governor Roy Cooper

Governor Roy Cooper and North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mandy Cohen today announced that North Carolina will begin a Modified Stay at Home Order after a rapid increase in North Carolina’s key COVID-19 trends. The Order requires people to stay at home between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. and takes effect Friday, December 11, 2020, and will be in place until at least January 8, 2021.

“We already have strong safety protocols and capacity limitations in place – including a statewide mask requirement. With this additional action beginning Friday, we hope to get these numbers down,” Governor Cooper said. “Our new modified Stay At Home order aims to limit gatherings and get people home where they are safer, especially during the holidays. It’s also a reminder that we must be vigilant the rest of the day – wearing a face mask when we are with people we don’t live with, keeping a safe distance from others and washing our hands a lot.”

The Order requires restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, personal care businesses and more to close at 10 p.m. Travel to and from work; to obtain food, medical care, fuel or social services; or to take care of a family member is exempted. Read more in the Frequently Asked Questions document.

In the past week, North Carolina’s case count has broken single-day records on three separate days, including crossing more than 6,000 cases per day on two of those days. Just a month ago, cases were under 3,000 per day. In recent days, the percent of tests returning positive has increased to more than 10%.

Governor Cooper was clear that further action would be taken to slow the spread of the virus if trends do not improve. This could require further limiting of restaurant dining, indoor entertainment or shopping and retail capacity restrictions, among other safety protocols.

Dr. Cohen also provided an update on North Carolina’s COVID-19 County Alert System map. The number of red counties (critical community spread) has more than doubled since November 23, up to 48 red counties from 20 red counties. There are now 34 orange counties (substantial community spread), as compared to 42 orange counties from the previous report. With today’s report, more than 80% of the state’s counties fall into the red or orange tier. Read the update to see where each county stands and how the system was designed.

“Your actions can keep people from getting sick, save lives, and make sure our hospitals can care for people whether it’s for a heart attack or a car accident or COVID-19. Protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community now,” said NCDHHS Secretary Mandy K. Cohen, M.D.

Dr. Cohen also provided an update on North Carolina’s data and trends.

Trajectory in COVID-Like Illness (CLI) Surveillance Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s syndromic surveillance trend for COVID-like illness is increasing.

Trajectory of Confirmed Cases Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory of cases is increasing.

Trajectory in Percent of Tests Returning Positive Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory in percent of tests returning positive is increasing.

Trajectory in Hospitalizations Over 14 Days

  • North Carolina’s trajectory of hospitalizations is increasing.

In addition to these metrics, the state continues building capacity to adequately respond to an increase in virus spread in testing, tracing and prevention.

Testing

  • Testing capacity is high, surpassing 50,000 tests per day for much of the past week.

Tracing Capability

  • The state is continuing to hire contact tracers to bolster the efforts of local health departments.
  • There have been more than 500,000 downloads of the exposure notification app, SlowCOVIDNC.

Personal Protective Equipment

  • North Carolina’s personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies are stable.

Read Executive Order 181.

Read a Frequently Asked Questions document about the Order.

Read the slides from today’s briefing.

Youngsville, NC

Town of Youngsville, Mayor Release Video Addressing Christmas Parade

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

The Town of Youngsville and Mayor Fonzie Flowers have released a video update regarding the town’s decision to move forward with its annual Christmas parade during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The parade is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. on Saturday, December 5, 2020.

Click here for additional information and statements of support from the community.

Click play below to view the video…

Maria Parham Health

‘No Visitor Policy’ in Place at MPH Until Further Notice

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Maria Parham Health has released a statement announcing that A NO VISITOR policy will be in place at the Henderson and Franklin Emergency Departments beginning at 5 p.m. on December 3, 2020.

Visitors will not be allowed in the waiting area or permitted in the Emergency Department patient care areas. All visitors will be requested to provide a cell phone number for contact and will be required to wait in their cars.

The only visitor exceptions are as follows:

  • Power of Attorney representatives
  • Patients nearing end of life may have 2 visitors
  • Children 16 years and younger may have 2 visitors

These restrictions will remain in place until further notice.

Franklin County Logo

Valenzuela Selected as Franklin Co. Emergency Services Director

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100.1 FM ~ 1450 AM ~ WIZS, Your Community Voice ~ Click to LISTEN LOCAL

-Press Release, Franklin County Government

Franklin County Manager Kim Denton has named Hendrix Valenzuela as Emergency Services Director. Valenzuela will assume the position on December 14, 2020. Valenzuela comes to Franklin County from Cumberland County where he served as the County’s Emergency Management Program Coordinator.

Valenzuela’s public safety career began with the Fire Service where he served as a volunteer Fireman within his community as well as a Firefighter/EMT for the City of Burlington, NC and Town of Carrboro, NC. Valenzuela’s next role was serving as a Multi-Hazard Field Planner with North Carolina Emergency Management (NCEM) Eastern Branch Office.

Valenzuela served as a key staff member during disaster activations for Hurricanes Matthew and Florence. He received special recognition from the North Carolina General Assembly in January 2019 as a result of his personal rescue of a missing child in Craven County.

Valenzuela graduated from High Point University in High Point, North Carolina with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, and he received a Master’s Degree in Disaster & Emergency Management from Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Alabama.

“The Franklin County Emergency Services Department provides essential services, and Mr. Valenzuela’s experience and enthusiasm will continue our commitment to delivering high-quality services and ensuring emergency preparations for our citizens,” Denton said.

For additional information, please contact Kim Denton, Franklin County Manager, at (919) 496-5994.