VCS Literacy Specialist Part of Statewide ‘Rethink Education’ Team To Promote Blended Instruction

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Vance County Schools has announced that Amber Hines, district K-5 literacy specialist, is a member of the first cohort of Rethink Education, a statewide initiative created to help teachers tailor blended instruction targeted at rural and under-resourced communities.

Made possible by $17.6 million from the U.S. Department of Education, Rethink Education provides training by facilitators like Hines to help educators design their instruction to meet the diverse needs of learners during short-term or long-term disruptions.

Hines, representing VCS, joins other educators from 50 other school districts, 28 charter schools and one lab school from across the state that make up the initial cohort of facilitators.

Their job will be to strengthen remote and in-person instruction with a blended model of delivery, and “reinvent school and community preparedness for new models of blended learning for grades K-8,” according to a press release from NC DPI.

As facilitators, they will serve to prepare teacher from across the state “to deliver high-quality instruction in a variety of settings and situations.”

State Superintendent Catherine Truitt said the state must continue to build capacity and provide resources to meet the needs of students using blended instruction. “This dedicated group of educators will lead the way to ensure that no matter where learning takes place, our students are fully prepared for a globally competitive job market,” she stated.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

Local CV19 Update 9-24-21 from Granville Vance Public Health

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In the past 7 days, there have been 146 new cases in Vance County, a 17% decrease from the previous 7 days. The percent positivity rate in Vance County is 7.4%.

In the past 7 days, there have been 141 new cases in Granville County, a 17.5% decrease from the previous 7 days. The percent positivity rate in Granville County is 4.8%.

In Vance County, 62% of those over the age of 12 have received at least one dose of their CV19 vaccine and 57% are fully vaccinated.

In Granville County, 68% of those over the age of 12 have received at least one dose of their CV19 vaccine and 64% are fully vaccinated.

69% of the adult population in NC is at least partially vaccinated and 64% of the adult population is fully vaccinated.

TownTalk: History of Kerr Lake, Part 2

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(Photo courtesy R.F. Timberlake – Kerr Lake Park Watch on Facebook and Shutter Art Gallery)

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Kerr Lake covers about 50,000 acres when it’s at normal elevation, but if the lake level were to reach its maximum elevation of 320 feet above sea level, the lake would more than double in size. In short, Kerr Lake is a BIG topic. So big, in fact, that Kerr Lake, Part 2, was the subject of Thursday’s tri-weekly history program on Town Talk.

Bill Harris and Mark Pace talked about what’s around – and under – the lake, which has 850 miles of shoreline and touches six counties in North Carolina and Virginia.

A plane that crashed into the lake in Clarksville was eventually removed, but there’s still a train submerged in Nutbush Creek, Pace said.

The plane crashed in 1962 and it took almost a month to find the right equipment to extricate it. The lake is between 90 feet and 100 feet deep in the deepest channels, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers didn’t cut down all the trees in the area that soon would be submerged. The plane, as it turned out, had gotten tangled up in that submerged forest. A barge equipped with a crane had to be transported from the coast to retrieve the wreckage.

As for the train, Pace said a forest fire scorched a wooden bridge over Nutbush Creek in the early 1900’s. A group of Townsville residents went together to start up a short railroad line that ran from Manson to Townsville. “It was a barebones affair,” Pace said, with two engines, a coal car and a couple of passenger cars.

When the train pulled into Townsville, there was nowhere for it to turn around, he said, so it had to go backwards on the return trip to Manson. The bridge was about 70 or 75 feet above the water, and it held up for the passenger cars and the coal car to cross. But the engine was too heavy, and the train plunged into the water “and basically impaled itself into the mud of Nutbush Creek,” Pace said. The engineer and the fireman were killed.

There are stories of picnics and church gathering being held near the wreck site years later and whoever could swim down to the wreckage and ring the train’s bell would get a prize.

The lake has a long history of providing recreational activities like picnics and church gatherings, as well as boating and camping, but there remain residual bad feeling toward the Corps, Pace said. “Most of what they bought was farmland, and not particularly good farmland,” he said. But it was still family land and the average price was only about $75 per acre. That amount would only be between $400 and $500 an acre today.

“Now there’s a strip of land that you’re not allowed to develop around Kerr Lake,” Pace said, to adhere to Corps restrictions. Fifty years ago, however, the shoreline would not have looked at all like it does today because it had been farmland and would have taken some years to become wooded.

 

 

The Local Skinny! Vance County Grapples With Employee Discontent

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A recent survey of county employees conducted by the UNC School of Government has turned up several areas of discontent, which county officials are hopeful could be eased by providing targeted training opportunities and following recommendations from the surveyor.

Three focus groups totaling 23 county employees were convened during the week of May 24 of 2021, and the Human Resources Committee comprised of Commissioners Carolyn Faines, Archie B. Taylor, Jr.  and Gordon Wilder met in July with UNC School of Government representatives to receive the results.

The three focus groups were titled Department of Social Services, Cross-organizational and Department heads. The results were shared at the August commissioners’ meeting, during which time several distinct themes emerged. The full report can be found at www.vancecounty.org and as part of the August commissioners’ meeting minutes.

The survey results captured employee sentiment, which ranged from feelings of disrespect to intimidation from supervisors. But the survey also reported that employees find their jobs interesting, they enjoy serving their community and have caring co-workers.

The recommendations, designed for the entire organization and not a specific department, include investing in supervisor training that emphasizes on effective communication, the role of supervisors as stewards and as a player in conflict resolution. Another recommendation is development of a set of values that govern and guide workplace behavior – to be developed at the employee level and involving the whole organization in the process.

Among the survey results were comments that ranged from employees enduring disrespect and intimidation from supervisors to feeling expendable or having their ideas not valued or taken seriously.

During the August meeting, county staff explained that efforts already are underway to provide additional training opportunities for supervisors, but those efforts have been hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. The HR committee discussed the importance of group trainings and felt that on-site workshops would be especially valuable for supervisors.

As for the suggestions for the board of commissioners, the survey results showed that employees value greatly the opinion of the commissioners, and they would like to see more commissioners attend employee events to show their interest in the county’s employees; the employees work hard to bring ideas for discussion – don’t dismiss them outright.

One idea the commissioners considered, but decided against pursuing, is taking over the responsibilities of the local Social Services board. A handful of counties in the state have made this switch, but Vance County commissioners decided not to join that group.

Commissioner Faines said the DSS board had not addressed several concerns from DSS employees, but Commissioner Taylor – who also sits on the DSS board – disputed that notion. It was reflected in the minutes that Taylor said the DSS board is focused on employee morale, employee treatment and the best operation of the department.

“When issues come up, they are addressed,” the minutes read. Taylor also said that the current structure is working properly and there is not need to change it.

Chairman Dan Brummitt said he would like to hold a work session to further discuss the matter.

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Support ‘Shop With A Cop’ Project – Buy A Ticket For Chance To Win Cash Prize

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The “Shop With a Cop” program kicked off Wednesday, and there are 180 opportunities to help make the project a success.

This year marks the sixth year that the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce has partnered with the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office to raise money for local law enforcement to go Christmas shopping with underprivileged youth in the community.

Chamber President Michele Burgess said she is pleased to report that many sponsors are helping to provide financial support, which means that at least $5,000 will be raised for the shopping spree that will take place in December at the Walmart in Henderson.

In addition to sponsors, there are 180 tickets available for purchase. The number of the ticket is the price you pay, and four winners will be drawn. The top prize is $2,000, followed by prizes of $1,000, $500 and $200, according to the Chamber.

Stop by the Chamber office to purchase a ticket, or purchase a ticket from members of the Chamber board as well as from members of the police department and sheriff’s office.

Burgess said she hopes all tickets will be sold by Oct. 22 – the drawing for the cash prizes is scheduled for Nov. 10.

It remains to be seen whether the Nov. 10 event will be a small event like last year, or whether it can be larger, as in 2019 when the community gathered at Sadie’s Coffee Corner to hear the winners announced.

The real winners, of course, are the children who get to shop with a cop in December.

“They will actually go with a policeman or a law enforcement person to Walmart and they’ll be able to pick their gifts,” Burgess said.

The children get to have fun and have positive interaction with a law enforcement officer, and the officers get quality one-on-one time with a young citizen, she added.

Burgess is especially appreciative of the support from sponsors and said one sponsor reported that he had always had a great Christmas, and wanted to make sure that children in the community had a similar experience.

Contact the Chamber at 252.438.8414 to learn more or visit www.hendersonvance.org.

Vance County Sheriff's Office

A Second Suspect, David Lee Chavis, Jr., Arrested for First Degree Murder in Wynn Case

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UPDATE: 9-22-21

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame issued the following press release 9-22-21 to update this matter.

On the 22nd day of September 2021, members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office CID (Criminal Investigations Division) served arrest warrants on David Lee Chavis, Jr., of Henderson N.C., for the First Degree Murder of Trevon Wynn.

Wynn was killed on the August 27, 2021, as he was traveling on Stagecoach Road.

Chavis has been placed into the Vance County Detention Center. No bond has been set.

The investigation is continuing.

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UPDATE: 09-07-21

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame issued the following press release September 3 to update this matter.

On August 27, 2021, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to Crowder Lane regarding gunshots fired.

Once at the scene, Vance County Patrol Deputy identified the victim as Trevon Wynn who was pronounced dead at the scene.

After further investigation, Hykeem Henderson was identified as personal of interest/suspect in the Wynn murder investigation.

On September 2, 2021, members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office CID (Criminal Investigations Division) served arrest warrants on Hykeem Henderson. Henderson was charged with First Degree Murder and placed in the Vance County Detention Center without bond.

This investigation is continuing.

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ORIGINAL UPDATE: 08-31-21

Friday, August 27 the Vance County Sheriff’s Office responded to a call for a gunshot victim. The caller stated that an individual had been shot and would be located at 184 Crowder Lane.

When deputies arrived a black male, identified as Travon Wynn, was found suffering from a single gunshot wound to the chest. He was in the rear passenger seat of a 2011 Mitsubishi car.

Local EMS pronounced him deceased on the scene.

The press release on the matter from Sheriff Curtis Brame states, “It is believed that the vehicle Mr. Wynn was a passenger in was shot into as it traveled down Stage Coach Road shortly after turning off on N.C. 39 North of Henderson. The incident occurred shortly before 7:00 p.m.”

If you have any information related to this, you are asked to contact the Vance County Sheriff’s Office or the Vance County 911 Center.

ACTS Donations, Fundraising and Volunteers Key to Providing Meals

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Imagine hosting the biggest Thanksgiving meal ever, providing all the food for the biggest family imaginable. Every day. There’s the food preparation, then serving, then the cleanup. That’s how Lee Anne Peoples describes the operation at ACTS – the executive director said it takes dozens of volunteers to provide the hot meals five days a week for area residents.

It takes volunteers – and money – to feed sometimes as many as 200 people each day, Peoples said recently on WIZS Town Talk.

Area Christians Together in Service is sponsoring a fundraiser on Sept. 25 at McGregor Hall that Peoples said will serve the dual purposes of raising money for ACTS as well as providing entertainment for the community.

“Make a Joyful Noise Unto the Lord” is set for Saturday, Sept. 25 at McGregor Hall and will feature local talent for an evening of inspirational entertainment for the whole family.

The doors open at 6 p.m. and the performance begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5 and children 12 years and under get in free.

Tickets are available from any ACTS board member or from the ACTS office at 201 S. William St. Tickets and also are available at the door.

There are several sponsorship levels that businesses or individuals can purchase, she said, adding that the community has long been supportive of ACTS and the work it does to feed hungry people. Sponsor levels are platinum ($1,000), gold ($500) and silver ($250).

Reach Peoples at lapeoples@actsofhenderson.org.

In 2020, Peoples said ACTS served 25,527 meals. She’s done the math for 2021 and if the numbers continue as they are now, 2021 will top 30,000. In a city with a population of about 15,000, that’s a lot of meals, she noted. “I’m surprised at how the numbers have jumped up” in the past couple of years, Peoples said.

In addition to the hot meals, ACTS provides food boxes, dozens of Backpack Buddies (weekend bags of food for schoolchildren) and Mobile Meals for people who can’t make it to the ACTS location.

All these ongoing projects get done largely through the work of about 45 loyal volunteers who come on a regular basis. “There is absolutely no way we could do what we do without volunteers,” Peoples said. And there is always a need for more help, especially in the afternoons. Many of the volunteers leave at noon or shortly thereafter, but there are still things that need to be done in the afternoons. “Even if you just have a few minutes between 12 and 2, it would be a big help.”

Just like that gigantic Thanksgiving dinner – the food has to be put away, the kitchen cleaned up and ready for the next day.

(The original version of this story appeared on WIZS.com on 9-14-21 and was written by Laura Gabel.)

Perry Memorial Library

Perry Memorial Library Open, Serving Community Including Special Programs

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Calling it a branch library may be a bit of a stretch, but Perry Memorial Library Director Patty McAnally invites the public out to Fox Pond Park Saturday to celebrate the grand opening of Story Walk, which features a storybook along one of the walking trails – a page at the time.

McAnally explained the concept of Story Walk and shared more library news on Wednesday’s Town Talk.

Kelly Starling Lyons, the state’s current Piedmont Laureate, will kick off the Saturday festivities at 10 a.m. in the Farm Bureau room at the library, she told John C. Rose. Lyons writes children’s books and will discuss the importance of reading and how to get started writing.  Then, at 1 p.m., there will be a ribbon-cutting at the Fox Pond Trail, where the Story Walk stations are located.

The books will change each month, she said, and the first selection Zip, Zoom – by Kelly Starling Lyons. There’s a page at each station, McAnally said, “so as you walk along the trail, you read a page.”

There also will be participation cards that, upon completion, can be redeemed at the library for a prize.

Perry Memorial Library is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Curbside pickup is available, and there’s free wi-fi in the parking lot between Breckenridge and Winder streets.

Another service the library now offers

Patrons, whether they come in to browse for books to check out or use the curbside service should take note of a new policy that was approved last week – overdue fines are permanently abolished!

The local library is following other libraries, large and small, to do away with overdue fines. “If that’s kept you from coming in, please come back and check us out again,” McAnally said. Fines, had been suspended during the pandemic, were seen to be a barrier, she said, adding that the return rate is the same, if not better.

Now, a book will be automatically renewed after it’s been out three weeks, she said. DVDs can stay out two weeks.

After 30 days, the book or other item will be marked “lost” until it is returned. “If you bring it back, we’re all good,” she said.

The library receives most of its funding from the city and the county, for which McAnally is grateful and appreciative. But other programs come about through grant funding, and McAnally mentioned a couple that the library has received in addition to the Story Walk project.

One grant, from the state library system, resulted in Story Cubes, which McAnally describes as “a little machine that spits out a 1- to 3-minutes story or poem – pre-programmed stories” for library patrons. Right now, there’s a Story Cube at the library – dressed up for Halloween – that will spit out a spooky story or poem for patrons.

Our local library is the first public library in North Carolina to have Story Cubes, she said, and there are plans to travel to schools and other locations to share stories. Now, the stories and poems are already-published works, but McAnally said she would like to have contests that would feature local writers’ works.

The most recent grant will help the library partner with NASA to provide STEM education. Perry Memorial is one of only two libraries in North Carolina to be awarded one of 60 grants. Although in preliminary stages of implementation, McAnally said she is excited to be working with NASA, which will result in tapping into NASA experts’ knowledge with topics like earth science and oceanography.

For more information about the library, call 252.438.3316.

 

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