VCS Students Benefit From Read to Achieve Summer Camps

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Press Release, Vance County Schools

Selected students in grades 1-3 in Vance County Schools began working with teachers in the school system’s Read to Achieve Summer Reading Camps at Aycock and L.B. Yancey elementary schools on June 18.

The camps are operating Mondays through Thursdays until July 18, the final day for third graders at the two sites. First and second graders will end their camp participation on July 17. The two camps are open from 7:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. each day and provide students with free breakfasts and lunches. School bus transportation also is provided for participating students.

Teachers are working with the students in small classroom settings to improve their reading skills to help them be more successful in the new school year. Third-grade students will be tested again on their reading skills with a focus on having them fulfill requirements for promotion to the fourth grade.

Students are shown working with teachers in small groups at the Read to Achieve Summer Reading Camp at L.B. Yancey Elementary School. (VCS photo)

Students work on their word association skills during activities at the Read to Achieve Summer Reading Camp at Aycock Elementary School. (VCS photo)

News 06/21/19

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U.S. Department of Justice

Henderson Residents Part of Large-Scale Money Laundering, Stolen Goods Case

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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

Robert J. Higdon Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, announces that a federal grand jury in Raleigh has returned a Superseding Indictment charging the following individuals with conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods and money laundering:

• SALVADOR IBARRA ESCALANTE, age 43, of Mexico, also known as “Billy Escalante” • RUTH NAVA-ABARCA, age 29, of Mexico • FLORENTINO VALENCIA-TEPOZ, age 47 of Mexico • GREGORIO VAZQUEZ-CASTILLO, age 43, of Mexico, also known as “Jaime Castillo” • JUAN DE LA CRUZ-GONZALEZ, age 32, of Mexico • SAMUEL CRUZ, age 42, of Durham, North Carolina • MIGUEL GUTIERREZ, age 24, of Henderson, North CarolinaJAIME LABRA-TOVAR, age 23, of Henderson, North Carolina • OSCAR UGALDE-ESCALANTE, age 31, of Mexico • HASAN OZVATAN, age 40, of Turkey • EMILIO GOMEZ-GONZALEZ, age 36, of Mexico • JUAN MALDONADO-HERNANDEZ, age 28, of Mexico • GEORGE LUIS MORALES, age 21, of New York, New York • TORIBIO ESCALANTE-CAMPOS, age 59, of Mexico • ERIC EVO, age 24, of Richmond, Virginia • RYAN MERCADO-RODRIGUEZ, age 24, of Henderson, North Carolina • JUAN LOPEZ-POSADA, age 40, of El Salvador • RENE ESPINOZA-TORRES, age 45, of Mexico • KELVIN FE ARELLANO-VALENCIA, age 19, of Raleigh, North Carolina • DEMETRIO VALENCIA-FLORES, age 42, of Mexico • ALVARO MENDEZ-FLORES, age 38, of Mexico.

Moreover, GOMEZ-GONZALEZ was charged with failure to register with immigration officials. In addition, NAVA-ABARCA, VALENCIA-TEPOZ, ESCALANTE-CAMPOS, IBARRA-ESCALANTE, and VAZQUEZ-CASTILLO were charged with alien harboring. Furthermore, IBARRA-ESCALANTE, VALENCIA-TEPOZ, NAVA-ABARCA, and VAZQUEZ-CASTILLO were charged with immigration-related entrepreneurship fraud.

According to the Superseding Indictment, used cooking oil, historically viewed as a waste product, has become a valuable recycled commodity over the past decade. The majority of the recycled cooking oil sold is used for biofuel, fluctuating with market demand. It can also be used as a nutritional additive to animal feed and pet food, or in the production of many consumer and industrial products.

Legitimate businesses, known renderers, collect used cooking oil from restaurants in exchange of compensation and sell it to refineries so that it can be processed and recycled. The rendering industry estimates that there is an annual loss of approximately $45-75 million dollars from the theft of used cooking oil.

According to court records, the objective of the conspiracy was to profit from the illicit trade in large quantities of used cooking oil stolen in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee, and transported to New Jersey for sale and distribution.

In particular, the Superseding Indictment alleges that members of the conspiracy repeatedly traveled to restaurants in North Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee, in box trucks equipped with containers designed to store and transport liquids, pumps, hoses, and burglary tools, for the purpose of stealing large quantities of used cooking oil.

Additionally, members of the conspiracy transported the stolen used cooking oil in the box trucks to a warehouse in Durham, North Carolina, for consolidation and storage. Thereafter, a tanker trailer was used to transport the consolidated stolen used cooking oil to Virginia and elsewhere.

“Used cooking oil has become a sought-after commodity by biodiesel companies, and restaurants use the sale of this oil as another source of revenue,” said John Eisert, Acting Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Charlotte, North Carolina. “This team of co-conspirators had an elaborate scheme to steal thousands of gallons of cooking oil for their own profit in violation of several U.S. laws.”

If convicted of conspiracy to commit interstate transportation of stolen goods and money laundering, IBARRA-ESCALANTE, NAVA-ABARCA, VALENCIA-TEPOZ, VAZQUEZ-CASTILLO, DE LA CRUZ-GONZALEZ, CRUZ, GUTIERREZ, LABRA-TOVAR, UGALDE-ESCALANTE, OZVATAN, GOMEZ-GONZALEZ, MALDONADO-HERNANDEZ, MORALES, ESCALANTE- CAMPOS, EVO, MERCADO-RODRIGUEZ, LOPEZ-POSADA, ESPINOZA-TORRES, ARELLANO-VALENCIA, VALENCIA-FLORES, and MENDEZ-FLORES, face each a maximum of twenty five years in prison, a $500,000 fine, and a term of supervised release.

Furthermore, GOMEZ-GONZALEZ faces an additional maximum term of six months in prison for failing to register as an alien, and a $1,000 fine. In addition, NAVA-ABARCA, VALENCIA-TEPOZ, ESCALANTE-CAMPOS, IBARRA-ESCALANTE, and VAZQUEZ-CASTILLO each face an additional maximum of five years in prison for alien harboring, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release. Moreover, IBARRA-ESCALANTE, VALENCIA-TEPOZ, NAVA-ABARCA, and VAZQUEZ-CASTILLO each face an additional maximum of five years in prison for immigration-related entrepreneurship fraud, a $250,000 fine, and a term of supervised release.

The following defendants are currently fugitives from justice: • JUAN DE LA CRUZ-GONZALEZ • RENE ESPINOZA-TORRES • EMILIO GOMEZ-GONZALEZ • JUAN MALDONADO-HERNANDEZ • RUTH NAVA-ABARCA • HASAN OZVATAN.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of these individuals please contact the Homeland Security Investigations Tip-Line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or 1-866-347-2423. Any information that you provide will remain confidential.

The charges and allegations contained in the Superseding Indictment are merely accusations. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. This case is being investigated by Homeland Security Investigations.

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Town Talk: 4-H Offers Wide Range of Summer Youth Programs 06/20/19

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Lina Lue Howe, extension agent with Vance County’s 4-H Youth Development program, was on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the organization’s 11 planned summer fun camps.

Serving as the nation’s largest youth development program, Howe said 4-H seeks “to educate children on leadership development, agriculture and volunteerism in a fun environment.”

To offer these skills to local children, Vance County 4-H is currently enrolling youth in summer camps ranging from growing produce to visiting the Asheboro Zoo. Camps for ages 5-18 are available from late June through early August.

Register in-person at the N.C. Cooperative Extension office from 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Monday – Friday. The Vance County office is located at 305 Young St. in Henderson.

For the online registration packet and more detailed information about each camp discussed in the Town Talk interview, please click here.

With additional questions, please contact Howe at (252) 438-8188 or lelue@ncsu.edu.

To hear Howe’s interview in its entirety, including additional information about the planned 4-H summer activities, click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

 

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market Set for Business After Hours Event

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-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce will hold a Business After Hours event on Thursday, June 27, 2019, for Chamber members and their guests.

Hosted by Vance County Economic Development and NC Cooperative Extension, the event will be held from 5:30 until 7 p.m. at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market – 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson.

There will be great food catered by Next Door Bistro, door prizes and live entertainment by local group The Cabin Pickers, featuring Jimmy Barrier.

To RSVP, please call the HV Chamber of Commerce at (252) 438-8414.

St. Andrews Presbyterian to Hold Yard Sale in New Pavilion

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-Information courtesy St. Andrews Presbyterian Church

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church will hold a yard sale this Saturday, June 22, 2019, from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. In addition to household items and linens, baked goods and hot dogs will be available.

The church is located at 100 Hicksboro Rd in Henderson, NC. The sale will be held outdoors in the church’s new pavilion.

News 06/20/19

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Reminder: Relay for Life Set for Downtown Henderson This Sat., June 22

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Vance County’s 2019 Relay for Life event will be held this Saturday, June 22 from 4:30 until 9 p.m. on Breckenridge St. in downtown Henderson.

Relay for Life is a culmination of months of hard work by local volunteers and the efforts of numerous community fundraisers including golf tournaments, fun days and food plate sales.

In addition to food vendors, merchants, music, and a kids’ play area, participants are sure to appreciate the emotion of one of the main draws of Relay – the survivors’ lap. Cancer survivors walk one lap to kick off Relay for Life, with their caregivers joining them for the second lap.

Local sponsors for the event include Maria Parham Health, Aldi, Sunrock, Superior Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT, Ninja Realty, Fred’s Towing & Transport, Mast Drug, Pizza Inn and The Pegram Agency.

For additional information, please visit the Relay for Life of Vance County website (click here).

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City Urges Residents to Complete Online Litter Survey

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-Information courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson

Below is a link to a litter survey that the City of Henderson would like as many people as possible to complete. The survey has also been placed on the home page of the City’s website.

Survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/S2TCDXH

Results will help the City determine steps to take in addressing the ongoing issue of litter around Vance County.

Classic Car Cruise-In to Feature Announcer Mike Joy, Music Legend Jackie Gore

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-Information courtesy Charles Boyd Chevrolet Buick GMC

The Ruin Creek Classic Car Cruise-In of Henderson, hosted by Nascar on Fox Announcer and Classic Car Enthusiast Mike Joy, will be held Saturday, July 13, 2019. The event will take place from 5 until 9 p.m. at the former Charles Boyd Chevrolet location at 284 US 158 Bypass in Henderson.

Carolina Beach Music legend Jackie Gore will be performing in concert.

Everyone is invited to bring their classic car, hot rod or resto-mod of every make and model, and from every decade to this shine, show and shag event. All car clubs and shag clubs are invited. Admission is free for everyone!

Food vendors will be on site. If you would like to be a vendor or for your business or organization to be a part of this event, please email Eddie Ellington at eddieellington@charlesboydgm.com.

A portion of all funds collected by vendors will be donated to the Ruin Creek Animal Protection Society of Henderson, NC, which goes towards saving the lives of unwanted, abused and neglected dogs and cats at the Vance County Animal Shelter.

Follow the event on Facebook and ‘Like’ the page, Ruin Creek Cruise-In of Henderson, NC.

(This is not a paid advertisement)