National Weather Service

Florence Expected to Gain Strength Over the Weekend, Could Impact Eastern US

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-Information courtesy Brian K. Short, director of Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations

Florence, churning out in the Atlantic, has weakened to tropical storm status but is expected to gain strength again over the weekend.

According to Brian K. Short, director of Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations, local residents need to keep an eye on the forecast and be prepared for inclement weather.

“Some of the current models are showing Tropical Storm Florence could have an Eastern US impact towards the end of next week, but it is still too early to call,” said Short. “We will keep an eye on it moving forward and will continue to push out additional updates as they are received.”

The National Weather Service has released a list of five things that you need to know now:

1) It’s too early to predict exactly where Florence will move beyond early next week.

2) Concerns for at least some effects on the U.S. are growing, but it is far too early to give specifics.

3) It is never too early to PREPARE! What should be in your hurricane kit? https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit

4) Know your risk! Find out if you live in a flood zone or if your home would be unsafe during a hurricane.

5) Be cautious of the information you see on social media. Avoid sources that create hype or promise forecasts beyond the limits of current science.

Vance Co. Schools to Offer Bus Driver Training – Sept. 25-27

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools (VCS) will be hosting a school bus driver training class September 25 – 27, 2018, in Room I-103 at Vance County Middle School.

Interested persons must attend the training on all three days to receive certification. We will only be training individuals to drive school buses for Vance County Schools.

Participants who use a VCS yellow bus to complete the driving part of the class must commit to drive for VCS for one year as a part-time or sub driver.

The training sessions will begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at approximately 3:15 p.m. each day.

Those interested in participating in the training sessions must register at least five business days prior to the session. Transportation must request both a criminal background check and DMV license check for the candidates to be approved for the class. Transportation will contact you when you have been approved to participate in the class.

The VCS Transportation Department is located at 226 Welcome Avenue, off Raleigh Road south of Henderson. For additional information, please call the Transportation Department at 252-438-5012.

U.S. Department of Justice

Henderson Sentenced to 42 Months for Felon in Possession of Firearm Charge

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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, HYKEEM HENDERSON, 27, of Henderson, North Carolina, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III to 42 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.

HENDERSON was named in a one-count Indictment on December 20, 2017. On May 29, 2018, HENDERSON pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

On June 1, 2017, officers with the Henderson Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle due to expired registration. Officers were told by one occupant that he had smoked marijuana prior to the stop. During the search of the vehicle, officers located a firearm along with a holster under the passenger seat. HENDERSON claimed ownership of the firearm. During further investigation, HENDERSON was found to be a convicted felon.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case is part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Henderson Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case for the government.

News releases are available on the U.S. Attorney’s webpage at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_EDNC

Vance County Logo

Vance Co. Commissioners to Discuss Phase 3 of Water System at Sept. 10 Meeting

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-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Clerk to Board/Executive Asst., County of Vance

The Vance County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, September 10, 2018, at 6 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, 122 Young Street, Henderson. The Invocation will be given by Rev. Joseph Ratliff, Shiloh Baptist Church.

Agenda items include:

Water District Board –

a. Staff Report – Water System Phase 3 Bond Order

b. Monthly Operations Report

Committee Reports and Recommendations –

a. Properties Committee – REO Property Offers

– Warrenton Road Solid Waste Site Revised Engineering Agreement

Finance Director’s Report –

a. Surplus Property

b. Records Retention and Disposition

County Manager’s Report –

a. NCACC Legislative Goals

b. Jail Inspection Report

c. Justice Assistance Grant

d. DSS Vehicle Purchase

County Attorney’s Report –

a. REO Property – Bid Acceptance Resolution

– Tungsten Mine Road – Parcel 0325 03021

Consent Agenda Items –

a. Budget Amendment and Transfer

b. Tax Refunds and Releases

c. Ambulance Charge-offs

d. Monthly Reports

e. Minutes

Miscellaneous – 

a. Appointments

Closed Session – 

a. Legal Matter

The agenda for the September meeting may be viewed in its entirety on the Vance County website.

Brassfield Fire Dept. to Hold Annual BBQ Fundraiser This Sat.

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— courtesy Granville County Chamber of Commerce | Ginnie Currin, Executive Director ~ 919-693-6125 ~ ginnie@granville-chamber.com

The Brassfield Volunteer Fire Department will hold their Annual Home-Cooked BBQ Fundraiser this Saturday, September 8, 2018, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. BBQ pork and chicken will be served for $10 a plate. Eat-in is all-you-can-eat or take-out available.

Come out and support the Brassfield FD Station 16 located on 1680 Hwy 96 South. All proceeds go directly to the fire department.

For more information, please contact Asst. Chief Hymiller at (919) 906-7828.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Granville County Emergency Management

Granville Co. Emergency Management Urges Preparedness During Peak Hurricane Season

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-Press Release, County of Granville       

You can’t predict when weather-related emergencies will occur, but you can plan on how to respond when disasters strike. September is National Preparedness Month and Granville County Emergency Management urges all residents to follow these helpful tips:

Make a plan and practice it routinely with family members or employees – know where to meet, how and when to evacuate and how to reconnect if you become separated.

Put together a disaster supply kit with items needed during an emergency.

Remember to plan for your pets as well – include them in your readiness plan to keep them safe.

For more information, go to readync.org or visit granvillecounty.org for a complete list of tips to help prepare for any emergency.

News 09/07/18

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Vance County High School

VIPERS FOOTBALL PREVIEW

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VIPERS  FOOTBALL  PREVIEW

At Viper Stadium vs. South Granville

Friday, September 7

7:00 PM

Vance County High School will begin conference play this Friday in memorable fashion: the game will be the first conference game for the new school’s football program, and the first game played in Viper Stadium, the repainted and repurposed Raider Stadium at the former Southern Vance.

Unfortunately, the matchup will also be a mind-sticker because the Vipers face off with the Vikings of South Granville, the defending Northern Carolina Conference 2A champions, who were undefeated in the regular season last year. With a veteran coach and a proud football tradition, the Vikings bring their hard-running offense into this season as pre-season favorites to repeat as conference champions, even without last year’s starting quarterback, leading rusher and several key receivers.

The Vikings started off this season as well as they did last year, with a 3-0 record, and average scoring of 25 per game, while allowing their opponents just 7 points.  The Vipers have shown that they can score three touchdowns per game, but their defense has allowed 40 points or more in each of their first three outings.

As impressive as the running games of Franklinton, Red Springs, and Beddingfield were against Vance County, their defenses were not as tough as South Granville’s.  That could be bad news for the Vipers.

Listen live to Vance County Friday Night Football coverage on WIZS and streamed live at www.wizs.com.

Vance County NC

Commissioner Hester Says ‘We’ve Reached the Bottom and We’re Headed Back Up’

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Thomas “Tommy” Hester, Jr., whose many accolades include local business owner and chairman of the Vance County Board of Commissioners, was on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the current economic growth and the future potential of the local area.

With phase III of the process, the County is expanding the existing Henderson-Vance Industrial Park located at the intersection of Bear Pond Road and US-1 Bypass in Henderson. “It’s been 32 years since we’ve looked at investing in our community as far as an industrial park,” said Hester. “We are now in the process of closing on 85 acres of land.”

The park, which has already secured a $2.45 million grant from the Rural ReadySites program for infrastructure purposes, will be zoned for light industrial and general commercial use.

“It’s a prime location and it has everything that you need available – natural gas, water, sewer and internet access,” Hester said.

With the prospect of multi-billion dollar companies such as Amazon and Apple establishing headquarters just a short drive down the road in Raleigh, Hester believes the local area needs to be ready for growth. “You’ve got to be ready. If you aren’t ready, you won’t be able to get people here.”

Hester also sees signs of a growing and prospering county in the influx of new businesses to the community, including the much-buzzed-about Planet Fitness scheduled to open in the Henderson Marketplace off Beckford Drive at the end of the year.

“I think we are readier now [for growth] than we’ve ever been,” Hester said. “We’ve put so many things into place.”

Hester referred to the County water project, currently in its third phase of completion with expansion down NC-39 as a step in the right direction. “The more infrastructure you put in, the better off you’re going to be for growth and doing what you need to for the quality of life for the people in your community. We all need to work for jobs, quality of life and education.”

According to Hester, “I think we’ve reached the bottom and we’re headed back up.”

Data Shows Marked Improvement in Vance Co. Schools for 2017-18 Year

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools showed substantial improvements for the 2017-2018 school year based on accountability data released today by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, evidence of the accuracy of the district theme for the year, “Year of Breakthrough.”

The results were made public today after the data was presented to the N.C. State Board of Education.

Superintendent Anthony Jackson noted, “It is with great celebration that we announce six Vance County Schools improved their School Performance Grade (SPG) by one letter grade in 2017-2018 and nine schools either met or exceeded student growth standards. The district has one “A” school, three “B” schools, six “C” schools and five “D” schools. We are beginning to see the results of our strategic focus on instruction, leadership, innovation and most importantly, children. The students in Vance County Schools are creative thinkers, have an innovative mindset and have a desire to chart their own course for their future.”

Those six schools improving by a letter grade were Pinkston Street Elementary, L.B. Yancey Elementary, Carver Elementary, E.M. Rollins Elementary, Henderson Middle School and Southern Vance High School.

The 2017-2018 results also show that the district’s grade-level proficiency grew by 2.2 percent, continuing the steady trend of closing the gap in grade-level proficiency between local students and students across North Carolina. Vance County Schools continues to search for innovations that will enhance opportunities and experiences for students.

The four-year cohort graduation rate for the district also improved to 82.1 percent in 2017-2018 from 81.9 percent in 2016-2017, with over $8 million in scholarships earned by students.

The outstanding student performances last year were the result of a lot of hard work by students, teachers, school support staff, administrators and parents. Academic improvements also occurred because of school administrators and support staff working with teachers to focus on specific areas in reading and math where students needed additional assistance to improve their skills. Classroom teachers used available data to follow the progress of students and provide extra instruction and interventions to help students improve and reach their goals.

For a third consecutive year, Vance County Early College High School earned a SPG of “A” and exceeded growth expectations. Based on the outstanding performance of students at the school, they earned an overall proficiency rating of 91 percent in end-of-course testing in Biology, English II and Math I. For the Biology and English II testing, Early College students were more than 94 percent proficient. The school’s overall proficiency rating was five points higher than in 2016-2017, another major milestone for the district.

Pinkston Street Elementary School led all elementary schools with a 17-point increase in its students’ proficiency in end-of-grade testing in reading and math in grades 3-5. The school’s overall proficiency in 2017-2018 was 74 percent, compared to 57 percent in 2016-2017. The outstanding results gave Pinkston Street a SPG of “B,” an increase from the school’s “C” grade the previous year. Pinkston Street students also exceeded growth standards.

L.B. Yancey Elementary School also improved by a letter grade to a SPG of “B” last year. The school also exceeded growth for the year with a nine-point jump in its students’ proficiency on the end-of-grade assessment to 71 percent from 62 percent the previous year.

Clarke Elementary School was the third “B” school in 2017-2018 with an overall proficiency rating of 72 percent, slightly higher than in 2016-2017, and its students met growth.

Carver Elementary School had an increase of 10 points in its students’ proficiency in reading and math as it exceeded growth standards and led local schools with a SPG of “C.” The improvements moved Carver up from a SPG of “D” in 2016-2017.

Other “C” schools included: STEM Early High School with an overall proficiency of 68 percent; Aycock Elementary School with an overall proficiency rating of 67 percent; Dabney Elementary School with an overall proficiency of 61 percent, up by five points, and exceeding growth; Zeb Vance Elementary School with an overall proficiency of 61 percent and exceeding growth; and Southern Vance High School with an overall proficiency rating of 55, up by two points from the previous year.

STEAM Academy at E.M. Rollins Elementary School had a 13-point student proficiency increase in 2017-2018 from the previous year. Northern Vance High School, New Hope Elementary School, Henderson Middle School and E.O. Young, Jr. Elementary School had increases in some areas. The only “F” school was Eaton-Johnson Middle School.

“Data is trending in a positive direction,” said Cindy Bennett, assistant superintendent for Strategic Planning and Student Services. “Continuing the laser focus on strategic planning, training, and instructional protocols will continue to enhance the overall student performance in Vance County Schools.”

“Our final performance results for the 2017-2018 school year derive from the intentional, focused hard work of administrators, teachers, students and parents,” added Dr. Trixie Brooks, assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. “This past year was a ‘year of growth’ across the district. Many schools in the district exceeded the state’s expectations for growth! I feel great about our trajectory towards a ‘year of breakthrough’ with student performance this year. ‘A Year of Breakthrough’ is this year’s theme and we are on our way! We have revised our Instructional Framework to make sure we define what teaching and learning look like in our classrooms. We are committed to our students and their academic, social and emotional needs. Congratulations to all schools for a fantastic ‘year of growth!’ I am Vance County Proud!”