Vance County Logo

Interim County Manager Explains Details Of Fire Study Process

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Vance County Interim County Manager Scott Elliott has a unique vantage point as plans for the county’s fire services study makes their way from start to finish.

In his role as county manager, he’s responsible for providing guidance and support to county commissioners – the board voted to conduct the study – while making sure that the paid fire personnel are doing their job – he’s their boss, after all.

Elliott spoke to WIZS News Wednesday afternoon and acknowledged the fire services study has been the topic of some discussion in the community.

“It’s an issue that people are passionate about and have feelings about,” Elliott said.

Commissioners had discussion – rather heated at times – during their meeting last week, about whether the public safety committee should have oversight of the fire study.

Elliott recommended that this should be a matter for the full board, but most commissioners did not see it that way – the vote was 4-3 to have the public safety committee, the fire commission oversee the project, with Elliott’s input.

“They’re the decision makers at the end of the day,” he said, “We have to respect that.”

He said, however, that he and county staff have the responsibility of guiding the commission and leading them along the right path.

The path to a completed fire study is expected to take consultants AP Triton about four months to complete.

Elliott said he asked Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright to direct any questions from the media to the county manager’s office instead of fielding the inquiries himself. That way, Elliott said, Wright can “focus on providing fire services he currently has on his plate.”

“Until we have results of fire study, we thought it’d be better … to not have county staff taking positions on things when we don’t know what the outcome of the study will be,” Elliott noted. Even once the recommendations are submitted to the full board, Elliott said there’s no way to know now if commissioners will implement them.

There are a lot of questions swirling around about what the fire services study will bring forth, but Elliott said he’s confident that it will be a comprehensive study of the existing system – including the Golden Belt Fire District and all the volunteer districts across the county.

“It shouldn’t be a complicated study or analysis,” he said. “They’re to give us their professional analysis of our system…and how to make it better.”

Community Partners of Hope

Church-Turned Men’s Shelter Inching Toward Reality

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The word “sanctuary” is defined as a sacred place. In church terms, it’s the area near the altar. The term is also used to mean “refuge” or “haven.” As the vision to transform a former church property into a men’s shelter gains momentum, area supporters may find a way to have a sacred space continue to provide a safe place for men in need.

Community Partners of Hope and others united to make the men’s shelter a reality are on a crusade to raise $350,000 to make the former City Road Methodist Church property into a year-round men’s shelter.

Jane King told WIZS News that Community Partners of Hope is making progress in the fundraising, with commitments and pledges coming in for construction and furnishings budgets.

“This is such an exciting project and I am sure we will eventually reach our goal,” King stated.

With strong community support from individuals and from churches, King said the contributions are mounting, but such campaigns rarely move quickly.

They’ve sent mailers to Chamber members and emails to supporters requesting donations.

“We’ve also been making face-to-face appeals to those in the community who we think have the wherewithal and community spirit to give generously,” King added.  She said The City of Henderson has pledged $50,000 and there’s another $50,000 donation ready to be pledged once the first $300,000 comes in.

Union Chapel Church of Kittrell is partnering with Tony’s Automotive to hold a “Cruise In” on Sept. 9 to benefit the project. Last year’s event netted $2,400, she said. This year’s proceeds will be matched dollar for dollar by an anonymous donor, she added.

Visit  https://sites.google.com/site/cpohope1/donations/financial-donations   to make a donation. There’s also a

GoFundMe page https://gofund.me/2a3be200https://gofund.me/2a3be200.

Visit www.cp-hope.org to learn more.

 

 

 

Rep. Sossamon Selected For Hunt Institute Elevate NC 2023 Cohort

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Rep. Frank Sossamon is among a group of individuals that form the Hunt Institute Elevate NC 2023 Cohort, a group that brings together leaders work on making positive impacts on education across the state.

In a press statement, Sossamon said it was an honor to be selected. “Education is the cornerstone of our society, and I am committed to exploring innovative solutions that will empower our students to reach their full potential. By collaborating with like-minded individuals, I am confident that we can create meaningful change that will positively impact our educational system,” he stated.

The Elevate NC program provides a platform for Sossamon and the others in the cohort “to engage in constructive dialogue, share insights, and collaborate with a diverse group of individuals who are equally passionate about the future of education,” the statement read.  The cohort will have interactive sessions, workshops and discussions to address pressing educational challenges, allowing the members to work together to identify actionable strategies that can be implemented at the state and local levels

Learn more at : https://hunt-institute.org/news/the-hunt-institute-announces-third-cohort-of-elevatenc/

Latest on the Vance County Fire Study

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Fire Service Study Clears Hurdle

It took about a half hour of discussion – some of it contentious at times – as well as various motions and amendments to motions, but the Vance County Board of Commissioners formally approved on Monday, August 7, 2023 the selection of a consulting agency to conduct a fire services study.

And although the board did ultimately accept giving the job to AP Triton as had been recommended by county staff, the board voted 4-3 that the public safety committee and the fire services commission, along with input from Acting County Manager Scott Elliott, would oversee the project.

That decision went against Elliott’s recommendation to the board, however.

The study is expected to take four months to complete and is going to cost more than $48,000. He said he would recommend that the study results come back to the full board for consideration.

Click Play to Hear TownTalk from 8-16-23 Containing Meeting Audio

Commissioner Dan Brummitt made the original motion that included awarding AP Triton the project “subject to project oversight” by the two groups.

During the ensuing discussion, several board members voiced objections.

Commissioner Tommy Hester said the full board called for the study and it should be the full board making decisions regarding the study.

Commissioner Archie Taylor said the study should provide “a neutral, honest look” at the fire service in the county.

Brummitt maintained that “significant misinformation” surrounding the county fire services had been bandied about in recent months and wants to ensure that the process of the study remain neutral.

Commissioner Leo Kelly said he would prefer to follow Elliott’s recommendation that the full board use its regular work sessions to monitor the study as it is being conducted.

As the discussion among the board members escalated over the course of 15 minutes, Chairwoman Yolanda Feimster declared a five-minute break and then left the commissioners’ conference room. Upon her return, she declared the meeting back in session, with a motion on the floor.

The board then voted to amend Brummitt’s original motion to simply approve awarding the study to AP Triton.

When that motion passed without opposition, Brummitt made a motion, seconded by Commissioner Carolyn Faines, that the public safety committee, fire services commission and the county manager provide project oversight of the study.

During discussion, Taylor again questioned the rationale, and Elliott interjected that in speaking with the AP Triton representatives, he was assured that they would “be making an independent analysis” of county services, and that the study would not be driven by a subgroup of the full board.

The motion passed 4-3.

(Text originally published August 8, 2023)

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City of Henderson Logo

Mayoral Candidates Down To Four – For Now

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Four candidates are currently in the race for Henderson mayor following a decision from the local elections board to remove one name from the ballot and a second mayoral candidate faces a similar challenge to his residency.

Wallace Cheek was removed from the list of candidates, according to Vance County Elections Board Director Melody Vaughan. Vaughan told WIZS News Tuesday that mayoral candidate Greg Etheridge also faces a hearing on Aug. 22 at 4 p.m. to determine his residency and eligibility to run for mayor.

“Mr. Etheridge will have to prove his residency to the board,” Vaughan explained. “They will make their decision the day of the hearing.”

Cheek’s eligibility to run for mayor had been challenged, and a hearing was set to review the matter before the Aug. 1 elections board meeting. Vaughan said neither the challenger nor Cheek was present for that hearing, which was scheduled to take place at 4 p.m.  before the board meeting.

As part of the process, Vaughan said three certified letters were sent to Cheek, and two that were delivered to the address within the city limits were returned as undeliverable.

Cheek was notified by certified mail of the board decision, along with information regarding the appeals process to the state board of elections. In addition, she said a letter also was hand delivered by the sheriff.

As part of the hearing process, Vaughan said she must hire a court reporter to be present, along with the county attorney, chairs of both parties. The hearing is open to the public.

Microclimates, Hot Weather, Thunderstorms, Hurricanes and Forecasting

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They probably don’t teach terms like “crazy hot” in meteorology school, but everyone around here knows firsthand exactly what Jonathan Blaes means when he says those words to describe this summer’s weather.

Blaes, director of the National Weather Service office in Raleigh, summarized the current weather pattern that has sent temps soaring into the triple-digit range across parts of the Midwest and West.

“In Texas and Arizona, it’s been crazy hot without a break for months,” Blaes said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

North Carolina summers often see stretches of hot weather for days in a row, but not months. “This (pattern) has been pretty persistent and pretty remarkable,” he added.

The thunderstorms that blew through the area earlier this afternoon are ushering in a slight break in the heat and humidity, with predicted highs hovering in the mid- to upper 80’s for the rest of the week.

Heat and humidity are the basic fuel for thunderstorms, Blaes said, so why don’t we have thunderstorms every single day during the summer?

We feel the heat and humidity down here on the ground, but there are other factors that affect the likelihood that afternoon storms will pop up, he explained. Take the temperature of the air at higher elevations, from cloud level and beyond, for example.

Temperatures need to cool off at a steeper rate to fuel storms, so when it’s “hot all the way up into the clouds,” that cooling doesn’t always occur at the rate needed to create storms.

But there are other factors closer to earth that have a bearing on the weather, including soil makeup, elevation and bodies of water, just to name a few.

“Weather is very local,” he said. “Details matter. Locations matter,” he added. “All those different features and materials interact with the air and sunlight and they’re different.” Those differences help to drive the weather patterns in a particular area, both in the short-term and long-term.

And Blaes and his team consider all those factors when they make their forecasts.

The National Weather Service team is keeping an eye out as hurricane season continues. There already have been four named storms, and we’re barely three months in, he said.

The NOAA forecast is calling for above normal activity this hurricane season, with between 14 and 21 named storms.

Typically, we can count on 14 named storms. Of that number half, will become hurricanes. Of that seven, half of those will be Category 3 or stronger, Blaes said.

“Things are going to ramp up and you can place a pretty good wager we’re going to be hearing more about tropical storms in the Atlantic,” he said.

Thanks to sophisticated technology advances, forecasts are more data-driven and less prediction or educated guesses.

In the event of a hurricane between now and November, Blaes said one thing he’d for sure recommend is to prepare a hurricane kit and make a plan. Just in case.

 

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Vance County Schools Excellence in Education Banquet

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Vance County Schools named its 2023 Educators of Excellence at a banquet on Thursday, Aug. 10 to honor nominated teachers, staff and administrators from across the schools in the district.

Teacher of the Year honors go to Analiza Maghanoy of EM Rollins STEAM Academy, according to information from VCS Director of Communications & Marketing Aarika Sandlin.

Others receiving top honors were Lillian King of Carver Elementary – Beginning Teacher of the Year; McShell Edmonds of Vance County High – Assistant Principal of the Year; and Dr. Michael Putney, Sr. of Dabney Elementary – Principal of the Year.

VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett said the district benefits from the experience of leaders like the ones honored at the banquet.

“Vance County Schools is very fortunate to have dedicated and passionate teachers and leaders who work diligently day in and out to ensure the children in Vance County are receiving the best possible education, learning from innovative programs and experiences, and truly understanding how they can positively impact tomorrow.”

Maghanoy teaches third grade English Language Arts at EM Rollins STEAM Academy. She earned a Bachelor of Elementary Education from Western Mindanao State University and a Master of Education Studies from the University of Newcastle, Australia.

“I know many outstanding teachers who give their best efforts to our students every day. I am humbled to be recognized as the Vance County Teacher of the Year, with gratitude to my strong administrators (present and past) for their unwavering support and inspiration to be the best I can to serve the students, parents, and the entire community of Vance County Schools”, Maghanoy stated.

King, also a third-grade teacher, works at Carver Elementary and majored in elementary education at N.C. Central University.

“I feel very honored to even be nominated and even more grateful to have been chosen by my district,” she said.

Top administrator awards went to Edmonds, who was named Assistant Principal of the Year.

“This achievement not only brings me joy but it fuels my motivation to continue pushing to strive for even greater heights. I am committed to using this achievement for continuous growth, learning and making a meaningful impact on my school community. I am so grateful for the support and guidance I received from fellow educators, the VCHS family, friends, and my family.” 

Edmonds received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from N.C. Central University and a Master’s in School Administration from N.C. State University.

This is Putney’s third time as Principal of the Year, but he said he feels honored to receive the recognition. He’s been principal at Dabney since 1997.

“This is my passion. I do not see this as a job. I see this as a calling to be able to have an impact on others. To hear positive remarks from former students, staff, and parents fuels me to continue to strive to make a difference for others.”

Maghanoy and Putnam will represent Vance County in regional competition.

Following are the nominees from across the district competing for the awards:

2023-2024 Teacher of the Year Nominees:

  • Nino Robles, AdVance Academy
  • Caroline Boyd, Aycock Elementary
  • Debbie McCune, Carver Elementary
  • Cynthia Moore, Clarke Elementary
  • Karin Jennings, Dabney Elementary
  • Analiza Maghanoy, E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy
  • Julia Morton, E.O. Young Elementary
  • Jamie Chin, L.B. Yancey Elementary
  • Tina Terry, New Hope Elementary
  • Kevin Johnson, Pinkston St. Elementary
  • Jose Ortiz Covelli, STEM Early High
  • Vicki-Ann Fullwood-Barrett, Vance County Early College
  • Pamella Wickham, Vance County High
  • Davia Johnson Wilkins, Vance County Middle
  • Cynthia Nnaemeka, Vance Virtual Village Academy
  • Hannah Whittemore, Zeb Vance Elementary

2023-2024 Beginning Teacher of the Year Nominees:

  • Matthew Weaver, Aycock Elementary
  • Lillian King, Carver Elementary
  • Nicole Clarke, Clarke Elementary
  • Ty-Mhaj Hart, Dabney Elementary
  • Rosa Bullock, E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy
  • Marcia Cobbs, E.O. Young Elementary
  • Loletta Davidson, L.B. Yancey Elementary
  • Twanda Peace, Pinkston St. Elementary
  • Quentillia Crutchfield, STEM Early High School
  • Karen Suarez, Vance County High
  • Damian Davis, Vance County Middle School
  • Whitney Brodie, Zeb Vance Elementary

2023-2024 Assistant Principal of the Year Nominees:

  • Dr. C’monee Wilkins, Clarke Elementary
  • Facetia Branch, Dabney Elementary
  • Desmond Thompson, Vance County Middle
  • Angela Cusaac, Vance County High
  • McShell Edmonds, Vance County High

2023-2024 Principal of the Year Nominees

  • Dr. Carnetta Thomas, E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy
  • Dr. Michael Putney, Sr., Dabney Elementary
  • Dr. Shannon Bullock, L.B. Yancey Elementary
  • Dr. Stephanie Ayscue, Vance County Middle School
  • Dr. Jessica Perry, Vance Virtual Village Academy
NC State Board of Elections

North Carolina Voters Will See ‘No Labels’ On Future Ballots

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North Carolina is now among a group of 10 states that has recognized the No Labels movement.

The State Board of Elections voted 4-1 over the weekend to allow the No Labels party to appear on ballots alongside the more traditional descriptors of Democrat, Republican, Independent and Unaffiliated.

In a June 2023 interview with WIZS, Pat McCrory, one of the national co-chairs of the movement, said he is in favor of more choices for voters.

“And if No Labels does come up with a President/Vice President team as an alternative for voters, dissatisfied with the options from traditional parties, make no mistake: “It’ll be to win, not to be a spoiler,” the former N.C. governor said on the June 20 TownTalk segment.

North Carolina joins nine other states – Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota and Utah – that have approved No Labels to appear on ballots.

“The No Labels movement has achieved a significant milestone, winning ballot access in 10 states,” said civil rights leader Dr. Benjamin J. Chavis, national co-chair of No Labels. “This is a historic victory for Americans who have said loud and clear they want more choices at the ballot box. The spirit of democracy is winning in America today.”

During that TownTalk interview, McCrory said No Labels seeks to provide a common-sense approach to address challenges that mainline parties find little on which to compromise.

“I’m a conservative who believes the more competition, the better.” Divisions and failure to find compromise among political parties only create chaos, he said back in June.

With a focus on common-sense policy solutions, practical compromise and cross-party collaboration, the No Labels movement has spent the past 13 years working to give voice to America’s commonsense majority.

Visit https://www.nolabels.org/ to learn more.