-Information courtesy Allan Daniel, Delrayno Baptist Church – Oxford
Delrayno Baptist Church, 1315 College St., Oxford, will have a drive-through nativity titled “A Journey Back to Bethlehem” this coming weekend – Saturday, December 8 – 10, 2018, from 6 until 8:30 p.m. each night. Live actors and animals, along with Chesny the Camel, will tell the story of the birth of Jesus.
Follow the Star to Bethlehem!
-Information courtesy Laura Thomas, Greater Ransom Way of the Cross Temple
You are invited to a free Community Christmas Breakfast sponsored through the Food Pantry and Soup Kitchen of Greater Ransom Way of the Cross Temple. Come and bring the family, a neighbor or a friend for a delicious hot breakfast on Saturday, December 15, 2018. Breakfast will be held from 9 to 11 a.m.
Pre-packed food bags containing non-perishable canned and dry goods will also be distributed – one bag per household. Intake process will be required to receive a food bag. The goal is to show God’s love to those in need.
The church is located at 90 South Lake Lodge Extension, off US 1 South, in Henderson. Call 252-492-1824 for more information.
-Information and flyer courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center
Those interested in participating in youth basketball with the Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department have until Saturday, December 15, 2018, to register.
Leagues will include:
Boys and Girls Mighty Mite League – Ages 4-6
Boys Pee Wee, Midget, Junior and Senior Leagues – Ages 7-18
Girls Pee Wee, Midget Leagues – Ages 7-14
Ages are determined by January 1, 2019.
Cost to cover registration and insurance includes:
$40 for in-county residents
$30 for those who played baseball, softball, soccer, volleyball or football in the 2018 season
$60 for out-of-county residents
For more information, please contact Steve Osborne at (252) 438-2670; sosborne@ci.henderson.nc.us or Victor Hunt at (252) 438-3408; vhunt@ci.henderson.nc.us
(This is not a paid advertisement)
-Press Release, N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
Farmers with damage from Tropical Storm Michael may be eligible for disaster assistance from the Hurricane Florence Agricultural Disaster Program of 2018. The $240 million bill approved today by the N.C. General Assembly would help farmers with storm damage and agricultural losses from both Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Michael.
The program will directly assist farmers who suffered losses to commodities planted but not harvested before Sept. 13, 2018, and livestock. The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services will administer the program.
“With only two weeks left in the sign-up period, farmers cannot afford to wait to sign up for assistance,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “The application process takes about 30 minutes per farm and assistance is available through N.C. Cooperative Extension and the NCDA&CS disaster hotline at 1-866-6459403.”
The seven additional counties pending a federal disaster declaration include Avery, Vance, Wake, Warren, Washington, Watauga and Yadkin counties. With this addition, 61 of the state’s 100 counties would have received either a primary Presidential or Secretarial-disaster declaration.
“Both Hurricane Florence and Tropical Storm Michael had significant impacts to agriculture,” said Troxler. “Without this immediate assistance, it will be difficult for many farmers to continue operations.”
Initial estimates for crop damage and livestock losses to North Carolina’s agriculture industry from Hurricane Florence are estimated at $1.1 billion.
To be eligible for assistance, farmers must sign up online by the Dec. 10 deadline. For more information, visit www.ncagr.gov/agriculturaldisasterprogram.
-Press Release, Vance County Schools
The first of six “Future Focus” sessions for juniors and seniors at AdVance Academy was held on November 28, with Dr. James Hunter, a certified counselor with Vance County Schools, as the featured speaker.
LaShawn Hawley, career placement specialist with the district’s Career and Technical Education Program, is coordinating the sessions.
Hunter is shown in the accompanying photo as he talks with students at the school about their career choices. He told them their strategies for future success should include: researching colleges and careers; building and maintaining support from others; planning; setting goals; and persevering through obstacles.
The remaining “Future Focus” sessions will be held once each month January through May and are designed to provide diverse guest speakers who can discuss with the students their future plans and how to enhance their chances of successfully getting into college and beginning their vocational careers.
Dr. James Hunter, a certified counselor with Vance County Schools, talks with students at AdVance Academy about their career choices. (Photo Credit: Vance County Schools)
-Information courtesy Dr. Stan Winborne, Public Information Officer, Granville County Public Schools
The Granville County Board of Education will hold a public hearing on the possible closure of Joe Toler – Oak Hill Elementary School at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, December 4, 2018. The hearing will be held at the school, located at 8176 Hwy 96 in Oxford.
Public hearing guidelines and procedures include:
-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Clerk to Board/Executive Asst., County of Vance
Agenda items:
1. Reorganization of Board
2. Adopt Schedule of Holidays
3. Renewal of Board of Commissioners Meeting Schedule
(First Monday of each month at 6 p.m., unless otherwise noted)
4. Special Recognition
Bearpond and Epsom Volunteer Fire Departments
5. Public Comments (for those registered to speak by 5:45 p.m. – speakers are limited to five minutes)
6. Appointment
Porcha Brooks, Tax Administrator – Untimely Exemption Applications
7. Public Hearing
Angie Blount, County Planner Rezoning Request – Case RZ20181108-1 616 Bearpond Road; Parcel 0453 05005
8. Public Hearing
Angie Blount, County Planner Rezoning Request – Case RZ20181108-2 651 Bearpond Road; Parcel 0224 01009
9. Water District Board
a. Committee Report – Phase 1B Project Review
b. Monthly Operations Report
c. Recess Water District Board for Closed Session – Property Matter
10. Committee Reports and Recommendations
a. Properties Committee
– REO Property Offers
– Agricultural Land Lease
b. Public Safety Committee
– Rapid Entry Resolution
– Open Burning Ordinance
– Addressing Ordinance
– Fire Service Reorganization
11. Finance Director’s Report
a. Surplus Property
b. Fire Truck Financing
12. County Attorney’s Report
a. REO Property – Lot 6 Big Ruin Creek Lane; Parcel 0404 03029
13. County Manager’s Report
a. Schedule Annual Planning Retreat
b. Broadband Update
14. Consent Agenda Items
a. Budget Amendments and Transfers
b. Tax Refunds and Releases
c. Ambulance Charge-Offs
d. Monthly Reports
15. Miscellaneous
a. Appointments
16. Closed Session
a. Water District Board – Property Matter
b. Economic Development Project
The agenda for the December meeting may be viewed in its entirety on the Vance County website.
-Information courtesy Henderson Family YMCA
Participate. Volunteer. Donate.
Jingle Bell Run 5K benefitting Girls on the Run and STRIDE programs will be held on Saturday, December 8, 2018, at Satterwhite Point! Check-in and race day registration will begin at 9 a.m. at the Glass House and the race begins at 10 a.m. Entrance gate will close at 9:50 a.m. Please arrive on time!
Pre-race packets will be available for pick-up on Friday, December 7 from 12 – 1:30 p.m and 4 – 6 p.m. in the Big Gym at the YMCA.
Open Registration: Now — December 7
Cost: $15/Child* $25/Adult
Race Day Registration: December 8
Cost: $20/Child* $30/Adult
*Child = ages 0—12; Adult = ages 13+
T-Shirts are NOT included for registrants who register on the day of the race.
(The Henderson Family YMCA is an advertising client of WIZS; however, this is not a paid advertisement.)
-Press Release, NC Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services is expanding a state quarantine for the imported fire ant (IFA) to include all of Davidson, Orange and Vance counties effective Jan. 1, 2019. With the expansion, the quarantine now includes portions or entire areas of 75 counties.
According to popular pest control vaughan, quarantine continues efforts to monitor the spread of this pest and address mitigation or control measures. Under quarantine rules, residents and business owners in these counties will need to obtain a permit before moving plants, sod and related equipment into or through non-infested areas. Certificates can be obtained from a local plant protection specialist or by contacting the Plant Protection Section at 800-206-9333 or 919-707-3730.
Items requiring a permit include nursery stock, sod, soil, hay and straw, logs or pulpwood with soil, and soil-moving equipment. Also, the movement of any other products, items or infested materials that present a risk of spread from established IFA areas to non-infested areas is prohibited.
“Failure to obtain the needed inspections and certifications may result in the issuance of a stop-sale notice and rejection or destruction of the regulated article,” said Phil Wilson, director of the NCDA&CS Plant Industry Division. “Fire ants can be harmful to humans and livestock. It is critical we continue proactive efforts to slow down fire ant movement into non-infested areas of the state.”
The imported fire ant was first identified and classified as a pest by SafeGuardPest in Brunswick County in 1957. As it spread and became established, it was recognized as an aggressive pest of farmlands, pastures, residential areas and wildlife, Wilson said. The imported fire ant is considered to be a nuisance and a health concern to humans, livestock and wildlife due to its painful sting.
For a map of the quarantine area, click here.
Note from local Vance County Cooperative Extension Agent Paul McKenzie:
The quarantine affects people and businesses who want to move certain materials FROM Vance County INTO a non-quarantined area. For example, if a hay producer in Vance County wanted to sell hay to a cattle farm in Person County, they would have to comply with the requirements of the quarantine (inspections and permits). That hay producer would have to certify that their hay was free of fire ants so they wouldn’t be spreading it into a new area. However, that Vance County hay producer would have NO restrictions on moving hay into, for example, Warren County, since Warren is also in the quarantine area.
Examples of other restricted materials would include nursery stock, sod, soil, etc.
Fire ants have been in Vance County for several years now. People need to learn how to recognize them and how to manage them.
