WIZS Radio Local News Audio 02-19-24 Noon
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VGCC Set To Launch Court Reporting Program At Franklin Campus In March
– Information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel
When its new Court Reporting program launches next month, Vance-Granville Community College will become the only community college in North Carolina to offer the program to students.
The court reporting profession plays a critical role in ensuring that legal proceedings are accurately documented for future reference. Using specialized dictation equipment, court reporters produce real-time transcriptions of courtroom proceedings.
At the time of publication, there are open reporting positions in North Carolina state courts with annual starting salaries above $45,000 and maximum salaries surpassing $80,000 per year, according to information from VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.
The program will be part of the school’s Continuing Education program, which means it’s designed for adults who are already in the workforce; participants can successfully complete the training for their new career without the demands of a full-time class schedule.
The program consists of four courses, each of which typically lasts four to eight weeks. According to Instructor Richard Jester, students committed to an accelerated pace could potentially complete the full program in the span of a single semester. Upon completion, students will be prepared to take the career’s national certification test.
At its launch, the new program will only be offered at the VGCC Franklin Campus in Louisburg. Jester anticipates offering portions of the program online in the future.
To learn more about Court Reporting and other career-enhancing programs at Vance-Granville Community College, please contact Lisa Rodwell, Director of Occupational Extension, at rodwelle@vgcc.edu or 252-738-3276. Register for this program today at www.vgcc.edu/coned/oex.
Upcoming Blood Drives
Recent inclement weather across the country has hampered blood drive efforts, and demands for blood and plasma and blood donations continues to be greater than supply. There are several local opportunities to give blood in Vance and Granville counties through February.
The American Red Cross urges donors to give blood or platelets now to continue to strengthen the national blood supply.
Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, download the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or call 1-800-RED CROSS. People of all blood types – especially type O blood donors, the most needed blood group by hospitals – and platelet donors are needed daily to ensure blood products are available for hospitals at a moment’s notice.
As February continues, so does the potential for additional weather systems to disrupt blood drives and the ability to provide critical blood products to hospitals. While thousands of donors have answered the call to donate in recent weeks to combat a significant drop in the blood supply, more donors are needed now to ensure the blood supply remains ready for those in need of lifesaving medical procedures.
As a way to say thanks for helping, all who come to give in February will get a $20 Amazon.com Gift Card by email. Details are available at RedCrossBlood.org/Heart.
Upcoming blood drives:
Vance
Henderson
2/20/2024: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Vance Granville Community College, 200 Community College Road
2/20/2024: 1:30 p.m. – 6 p.m., Kerr Lake Country Club, 600 Hedrick Road
Granville
Butner
2/29/2024: 12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., Butner Town Hall, 415 Central Avenue
Creedmoor
2/16/2024: 12 p.m. – 5 p.m., Creedmoor Community Center, 116 Douglas Drive
Oxford
2/23/2024: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Oxford United Methodist Church, 105 W McClanahan St
2/28/2024: 12:30 p.m. – 5 p.m., Thornton Branch, 210 Main Street
VCS Second Graders Learn Water Safety Through YMCA “Safety Around Water” Program
– Information courtesy of VCS Chief Communication Officer Aarika Sandlin
Second-graders from all 10 elementary schools in Vance County Schools are participating in a five-day swim training program with staff at the Henderson Family YMCA. The Safety Around Water initiative is a national program that teaches young people basic safety techniques – using the buddy system and how to use life jackets, for example – when facing water rescue situations.
YMCA Director of Aquatics Kim Davis and staff help the children through three rounds of training: “Submerge!” helps to build comfort in the water; “Swim, Float, Swim!” teaches basic swimming skills; and “Jump, Push, Turn and Grab!” teaches pool exit techniques.
“The hardest part is helping them to overcome their fear,” Davis said. “We care about these students, and this program helps to build trust and faith between the children
and our instructors. It is very exciting to see the progress from one day to the next.”
At the end of training, each student receives a certificate to celebrate their hard work.
Triangle North Healthcare Foundation partners with the YMCA to provide the training.
Students from Clarke Elementary participated in early February, and Principal Dr. C’monee’ Wilkins said she appreciates the partnership with the YMCA to provide the experience.
“The Safety Around Water program is a rich experience that opens our students up to embracing new things and stepping outside of their comfort zone,” she said.
“Each year there are drownings but lately the drownings have increased. We live in an area with large lakes and pools. The SAW program teaches safety skills to help the students to be able to help save themselves until help arrives.”
Police Charge Pedestrian For Hitting Cars With Broom
Tuesday evening around 7 p.m., Henderson police responded to a call on Oxford Road after several drivers had reported seeing a pedestrian in the roadway trying to strike cars with a broom.
At least one car sustained enough damage to file a property damage claim and one driver reported having to swerve to avoid hitting the person.
Police arrested Sierra Everett, 21, of 2223 Oxford Rd., charging her with assault on a government official, malicious conduct and injury to personal property.
One driver reported that the same individual had been sitting in the road earlier in the day at a different location nearby.
Everett appeared before a magistrate and was given a $5,000 secured bond and was taken to the Vance County jail.
Early Voting Underway Through Mar. 2 For March 5 Primary Election
One-stop early voting is now underwat and will continue through Saturday, Mar. 2.
Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin reminds voters they have two locations where they can cast their votes in advance of the Mar. 5 primary:
- The county’s Youth Services building (Eaton-Johnson gymnasium) at 500 N. Beckford Dr.
- Aycock Recreational Center, 307 Carey Chapel Rd.
Weekday hours are from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.; the polls will be open Saturday, Mar. 2 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Voters will be asked to show a photo ID.
Visit https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/ to learn more.
WIZS Radio Local News Audio 02-15-24 Noon
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$57M Dabney Drive Upgrade Chugging Along
Anyone who dropped in during Tuesday’s NCDOT meeting at E.M. Rollins School got a chance to view project maps and speak with transportation officials about just what the $57 million Dabney Drive upgrade is going to look like.
From initial conceptual drawings, what it’s going to look like is very different.
The proposed upgrades include a peanut-shaped roundabout at Dorsey Avenue and upgrading existing Dabney Drive for eastbound traffic and Corbitt Road and a former rail corridor for westbound traffic. But it also makes accommodations for pedestrians and bicyclists who use the roadway.
Dabney Drive is a major transportation artery for the city that gives motorists access to residential, commercial, industrial, churches and institutional facilities located within the project area. There aren’t many times during the day that traffic isn’t congested, and NCDOT has been working on getting plans together for the upgrade since 2019.
Right now, projected costs to complete the Dabney Drive upgrade include $7.3 million for relocating utilities, $25 million for right-of-way acquisition, $24.4 million to complete an environmental document. Construction is set to begin in Fall 2027.
and utility companies to make sure the work “will minimize impacts to the greatest extent possible,” documents state.
No doubt NCDOT will have to acquire property, and once the design phase is complete, affected property owners will be contacted.. For more information about the right-of-way process, visit https://www.ncdot.gov/projects/Documents/right-of-way-residential-english.pdf#search=right%20of%20way.
In addition to fielding questions from the public, NCDOT representatives received comments, which will be reviewed and discussed as plans continue.
The project – U-5890 – has its own webpage https://publicinput.com/dabney-drive-henderson
NCDOT also invites public comment by email or phone. To send an email, visit dabney-drive-henderson@publicinput.com.
Phone 984.205.6615 and enter Code 4600 to leave a voice message.
Public comments can also be mailed to:
Zahid Baloch
NCDOT Division Project Team
1573 Mail Service Center
Raleigh, N.C. 27699-1573
Comments should be submitted by Tuesday, Feb. 27, 2024.
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Bigelow Out As County’s Chief Finance Officer
Vance County Deputy County Manager/Chief Finance Officer Katherine Bigelow was relieved of her duties last week, according to County Manager Renee Perry, for fraud and falsification of records for personal profit.
“Katherine was terminated as of Feb. 9 – last Friday,” Perry told WIZS News.
Perry said Bigelow, who had said she was a licensed certified public accountant, used a license number that does not belong to her. “Katherine is not licensed as a CPA,” Perry said.
“The county has to go through an audit every year,” Perry explained, adding that “if a person identifies as a CPA, then auditors request copies of your certification.”
She said Bigelow, who has been the finance director since 2019, submitted “a certification for a CPA licensure that did not belong to her…she misrepresented herself with someone else’s licensure as a CPA.”
Just last month, Perry announced that county commissioners had agreed to a $25,000 bump in pay for Bigelow, bringing her salary to $136,503. That’s when her title was updated to Deputy County Manager/Chief Finance Officer.
Perry said the job posting was put on the county’s website after Bigelow was terminated.
“I wasn’t playing,” Perry said. “I couldn’t wait.”
Chuck Murray, who served as interim finance director before Bigelow came on board, will again serve as interim, beginning Monday, Perry said. He will help out two or three days a week.
A CPA licensure is not a requirement for the position of county finance director.
Perry cited the section in the county personnel policy that refers to “detrimental personal conduct for fraud and falsification of records for personal profit, to gain special privileges or to obtain employment” as the basis for the termination.
TownTalk: Linda Cobb, Board of Education Candidate
Vance County Board of Education member Linda Cobb, seeking re-election to the District 5 seat, said the school district faces challenges common in many districts, and applauds leaders for their innovative efforts to provide a quality education experience for students and teachers.
Cobb was first appointed in 2019 to fill an unexpired term on the board of education, then was elected in 2020.
The county’s schools aren’t immune to challenges like bus drivers and attracting and retaining certified teachers, but Cobb said she celebrates successes like the creation of the SPARK lab to help students discover future career paths through hands-on experiences.
Her vision for the school system is “to lead and guide our students to success once they finish high school,” she said.
A couple of priorities she has on her radar include building community relationships and making sure students are “catching up” from COVID. “We can’t blame everything on COVID, but we need to make sure we have enough tutors in schools and teachers to teach the kids…what they need to know to progress to the next level,” she said.
Having been an instructor at Vance-Granville Community College for 20 years, she said she’s worked with students who are products of Vance County Schools. In close to 30 years in her role with the Department of Social Services, she’s worked with a variety of people, including children.
She continues that work in her role as a school board member, which includes strategizing “very carefully how we spend the money.”
“Our needs are growing,” she said, “but the amount of money coming to the district is not growing with the need.”
Money that comes from federal and state streams is usually already designated for particular budget items, and Cobb said she believes the district is managing those funds very well. “We just had a clean audit report,” she added.
Some of the stimulus money from the federal government was used for bonuses to employees and to other sustainable things, she said – not on one-off funding for seed money.”
“We always have to put the students first…(making sure) that they’re getting the very best education they can.”
Early voting is underway for the Mar. 5 primary elections.
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