Triangle North Executive Airport Manager Stephen Merritt Has Died
— courtesy Franklin County Government
Kristen King, Clerk to the Board of the Franklin County Commissioners, wrote in an email to WIZS News, and to others today, and said, “It is with great sadness we inform you of the passing of Mr. Stephen Merritt, Airport Manager of Triangle North Executive Airport. Mr. Merritt passed away after being involved in an aircraft crash.
“We will forward any information about funeral arrangements when they become available.”
In addition to the information from Franklin County, you can read more online at WRAL.com by clicking here.
Aycock Rec Center Closed Through Sat, Dec 23
— courtesy City of Henderson
The City of Henderson webpage (click here) says on the Recreation and Parks Department section (click here):
“THE AYCOCK RECREATION CENTER WILL BE CLOSED MONDAY, DECEMBER 18 THROUGH SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23 FOR YEARLY GENERAL MAINTENANCE. NO ACTIVITIES WILL TAKE PLACE DURING THIS TIME.”
SBI Develops New Hand-held Fingerprint Technology
— courtesy NC SBI and North Carolina Department of Public Safety
The State Bureau of Investigation has deployed a mobile fingerprint scanning application for local and state law enforcement officers that instantly searches state and national databases for a positive identification.
The process is simple. A suspect places his or her finger on a small portable device, about the size of a smartphone and the fingerprints become digitized and sent to the SBI’s Statewide Automated Fingerprint Identification System and to the FBI for a search of their databases for any matches.
The Rapid ID System allows law enforcement officers to capture fingerprints remotely using the mobile fingerprint scanner. An officer quickly receives the results of a search on the hand-held device. If a fingerprint match is made, the device provides a person’s name, photo (if available) and other relevant information allowing for a quick assessment of a potential threat level.
“All of this happens in seconds,” said Wyatt Pettengill, SBI’s special agent in charge of the Criminal Information and Identification section. “Once the fingerprint image is received at the SBI, the image is compared against the SBI’s entire biometric database and sent to the FBI for a search of the Repository of Individuals of Special Concern, a combination of many different FBI databases that house sensitive law enforcement information.”
Officers who participated in SBI’s pilot program saw how valuable the technology is in correctly identifying individuals who had given them fictitious information or who had outstanding warrants in North Carolina.
A national fingerprint search through the Rapid ID System also provides officers access to outstanding warrants in other states, national sex offender registry subjects and known or suspected terrorists. Several states are already using this remote identification technology and are experiencing great success, according to Pettengill.
“The SBI tries to provide its law enforcement partners with the most current, cutting edge technology in the effort to apprehend criminals and make North Carolina safer,” said Pettengill. “It’s an amazing investigative and officer safety tool.”
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Inspections Reveal High Ratings for Vance Schools Custodians
— courtesy Vance County Schools
The custodial teams at L.B. Yancey Elementary School and Henderson Middle School have received awards for having the highest ratings for elementary and middle/high, respectively, in the most recent Vance County Schools inspections. Members of the teams from the schools who were present for recognition at the December 11, Vance County Board of Education meeting are shown in the accompanying photo. They include, from left, Mark Ellis Sr. and Principal Carnetta Thomas, both of L.B. Yancey Elementary School; and Ronnie Watkins, Larry Alston, Peggy Thomas, Susan Baker and Principal John Hargrove, all of Henderson Middle School. (VCS Photo)
Southern Vance National Technical Honor Society Coat Drive 2017
Vance County Proud
Students who are members of the National Technical Honor Society at Southern Vance High School are shown in the accompanying photo with some of the coats they collected in their Coat Drive for needy families in Vance County. The coats have been given to Salvation Army representatives to distribute to needy families. The students include, seated from left, Adriana Evans, Imani Perry, Onjahlaya Robinson and Megan Bass. On the back row, from left, are Xavier Wilson, Jacob May, Chermella Durham, Joshua Williams, Kailee Ball, Gabriella Ventura and Robert Susewell. (VCS Photo)
“Santa’s Christmas List” Needs Your Help
— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook
“Santa’s Christmas List” Needs Your Help — Final Week For Gifts For Warren County Children
We need your help! As you’re out and about this week, could I ask you to please pick up a toy here and a book there for children in Warren County? We have a great many children in need of presents for Christmas Morning…
Thanks to your overwhelming generosity last year, Social Services was able to hand out toys, books and other gifts that guaranteed Christmas Morning smiles for more than 733 children. This year we’d like to help at least that many children.
The donation locations are easy to find…just look for the very LARGE wrapped box at a number of Warren County locations…and our thanks to David Gardner at Warrenton Furniture Exchange for once again supplying us with these boxes! We’re looking for toys (both fun & educational), clothes/hats/gloves, stuffed toys, books, candy, gift cards for 13-16 year olds…really, anything new and unwrapped that you think would bring some joy to a child.
Then, just drop them by one of the following locations in the big wrapped boxes in Warrenton: Chamber of Commerce of Warren Office, Warren Record, WARR 1520 AM, First Citizens Bank, BB&T, Warrenton Town Hall, Milano’s, Firehouse Biscuits & Burgers and Pete Smith Tire & Quick Lube. In Norlina: White’s Barber Shop, Norlina Town Hall, Norlina Auto Parts and The Whistle Stop Cafe. If you’re up at the Lake, you can drop your gifts by The Lake Gaston Chamber Office on Eaton Ferry Road.