-Information courtesy the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page
The Vance County Sheriff’s Office reports that on Sunday, January 6, someone broke into several vehicles in the parking lot of Tungsten Baptist Church during church services. The church is located at 4944 Tungsten Mine Road in Henderson.
If you have any information regarding these crimes, please contact Investigator Gooch at (252) 738-2239.
-Information courtesy the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center
BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND – This Friday, January 11, 2019, @ 8 p.m.
If you missed McGregor Hall’s great presentation of Masters of Soul last year, now’s your chance to see what everyone is talking about! Take the ultimate stroll down memory lane with Masters of Soul as they bring a celebration of the legendary songs that defined Motown and Soul music.
This 90-minute show highlights the best of the Motown era with stylishly costumed, fully choreographed performances with various groups backed by a live band.
Based in Virginia Beach, VA, the 10-person cast consists of three lead male vocalists and three lead female vocalists backed by a four-piece band of seasoned musicians who have been touring together for decades.
Masters of Soul has performed to numerous sold-out audiences and garnered rave reviews across the country.
See for yourself their performance of hits by Gladys Knight & The Pips, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, The Temptations, The Four Tops, Diana Ross and The Supremes, Martha Reeves and The Vandellas, Barry White, Sam and Dave, James Brown and many more.
Tickets may be purchased by:
DROP IN: 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, N.C. Monday – Friday 1:30 – 5:30 p.m
CALL: (252) 598-0662 (M-F 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.)
CLICK HERE: www.McGregorHall.org (Use the eTix official site, online fees apply)
(This is not a paid advertisement)
SUNDAY AFTERNOON AT TWO O’CLOCK, MCGREGOR HALL PAID TRIBUTE TO ITS PRIME VISIONARY, SAMUEL MERRIWEATHER WATKINS, JR.
THE LATE SAM WATKINS WAS A DRIVING FORCE BEHIND PERRY MEMORIAL LIBRARY BEING IN ITS PRESENT LOCATION ALONG WITH THE PERFORMANCE AREA AND CONNECTING SPACE KNOWN AS MCGREGOR HALL. THE HENDERSON POLICE STATION TOO FOR THAT MATTER.
IN ADDITION TO A FULL 13-MEMBER ORCHESTRA, UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MARK HOPPER, A LOCAL SOLOIST, JONATHAN O’GEARY, AND THE WORLD PREMIERE OF “REMEMBRANCE,” A SONG COMPOSED BY HENDERSON’S OWN DR. PHILIP M. YOUNG, REMARKS OF HONOR AND REMEMBRANCE WERE PROVIDED BY LONG-TIME FRIENDS DONALD SEIFERT AND THE HONORABLE JAMES W. (JIM) CRAWFORD, JR., BOTH OF WHOM ARE ALSO PILLARS OF THE COMMUNITY. ALSO OFFERING REMARKS OF GRATITUDE AND TRIBUTE WERE DR. YOUNG AND JOHN WESTER.
THE PICTURE SHOWS THE MOMENT THE PERFORMANCE OF “REMEMBRANCE” BEGAN.
AND WHILE THE FOCUS OF THE MUSICAL PERFORMANCE AND THOUGHTS OFFERED WERE ZEROED IN ON THE VISION, LEADERSHIP AND DETERMINATION OF SAM WATKINS, THE WORDS, THE MUSIC AND THE ENTIRE GATHERING ALSO HONORED SAM’S TWIN BROTHER GEORGE WATKINS AND THE WATKINS FAMILY. FOR WHERE ONE WATKINS BROTHER WORKED AND SERVED, SO DID THE OTHER.
TO HEAR IT ALL, THE AFTERNOON WAS A CELEBRATION OF COMMUNITY AND GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
SO WHETHER IT WAS THE WORDS OF WESTER, SEIFERT, YOUNG OR CRAWFORD, OR THE INSPIRING COMPOSING, PERFORMING OR JUST BEING IN AWE OF THE SPACE, A NUMBER OF SPECIAL THOUGHTS, PHRASES AND NOTES REVERBERATED THROUGH MCGREGOR HALL ON A SUNNY SUNDAY AFTERNOON ABOUT THE MAN, THE BROTHERS AND THE CHORUS OF SUPPORTERS WHO GOT MCGREGOR HALL TO WHERE IT IS, NOT ONLY A PROVISION FOR LEARNING AND THE ARTS BUT ALSO A REVITALIZATION OF THE VIBRANT BLOCKS OF HENDERSON THAT WERE, THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN NO MORE IF NOT FOR THEIR HARD WORK.
AS THE ONES WHO SPOKE SUNDAY OF SAM WATKINS SAID IT: “THANK YOU.” “WELL DONE.” “HE WAS MY BUDDY.”
IT WAS AN AFTERNOON OF AMERICAN MUSIC, A TRIBUTE TO SAM WATKINS, AND IT WAS SO MUCH MORE.
Henderson Police Department Press Release – January 06, 2019
This morning, around 6:30, Jonathan Durham, age 47, succumbed to a gunshot wound he sustained during an encounter in front of his residence of 611 Highland Avenue.
The Henderson Police Department has been working diligently on this case and is asking for your assistance.
If anyone has any information related to this case, please contact Detective Mitchell of the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141 or 252-492-0202, or Crime Stoppers 252-492-1925 or use the P3 app on your smart phone device.
Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of the perpetrator(s) of this crime.
Authority: Chief Barrow
-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Clerk to Board/Executive Asst., County of Vance
Public comments regarding the fire services reorganization (agenda item #2) are welcomed and encouraged.
Agenda items:
1. Public Hearing – 6 p.m.
Opening Burning Ordinance, Keith Duncan, Fire Marshal
2. Appointment – 6:15 p.m.
Fire Services Reorganization
– Public Comments
– Fire Chief Comments
– County Manager Comments
– Board Discussion
3. Public Comments (for those registered to speak by 5:45 p.m. – each speaker is limited to five minutes)
4. Water District Board
-Staff Report – Phase 3 Construction Update
-Monthly Operations Report
5. Committee Reports and Recommendations
Properties Committee
– Minimum Offers for REO Properties
– REO Properties – Pending Offers
– REO Properties – New Offers
– REO Property – Upset Bid Process Complete
6. Finance Director’s Report
– Financing Resolution – Vehicles
7. Consent Agenda Items
-Tax Refunds and Releases
-Ambulance Charge-Offs
-Monthly Reports
-Minutes
8. Closed Session
– Property Transaction
Click here to view current and prior Board agendas.
-Information and graphic courtesy the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center
McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center presents:
A Tribute to Sam Watkins – An Afternoon of American Music ~
In a tribute to McGregor Hall visionary Sam Watkins, a thirteen-piece chamber orchestra will present an afternoon of American chamber music under the baton of Mark Hopper. The program will feature both the world premiere of “Elegy” for chamber orchestra written in memory of Sam Watkins by composer Philip M. Young and a performance of the original “Appalachian Spring” ballet of Aaron Copland.
Henderson’s own Jonathan O’Geary will be the featured guest soloist.
The concert is part of the Music at McGregor series.
Tickets may be purchased by:
DROP IN: 201 Breckenridge Street, Henderson, N.C. Monday – Friday 1:30 – 5:30 p.m
CALL: (252) 598-0662 (M-F 1:30 – 5:30 p.m.)
CLICK HERE: www.McGregorHall.org (Use the eTix official site, online fees apply)
-Information and flyer courtesy the Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Dept. Facebook page
Aycock Recreation Center announces Tot-Time, a new program for children ages 1-5 on Thursdays from 8 to 11 a.m. Children will enjoy equipment and toys that are age appropriate and designed to let toddlers explore and learn new skills.
Tot-Time is held in an unstructured, open gym setting and parents must supervise at all times.
The cost to participate is $1 for members and $2 for non-members. No charge for parents or guardians.
For more information, please contact Lauren Newlin at (252) 438-3160 or lnewlin@ci.henderson.nc.us
(This is not a paid advertisement)
If you’ve taken a drive down Oxford Road in Henderson over the past week, you may have been surprised to see that the long-standing sign that previously read Flowers Funeral Home now reads Sossamon Funeral Home.
That change in name and ownership came about last week when John Sossamon, age 36, purchased the business from previous owner John Ayscue.
“We’ve been working on it for quite some time; it didn’t happen overnight,” said Sossamon.
In an interview with WIZS Radio, Sossamon put to rest any rumors that Ayscue was full-fledged retiring after the business transaction. “He’s not exactly retiring. We are going to call it ‘semi-retiring.’ John has been with Flowers Funeral Home for 40 years. That’s a long time! He’ll still be here every day – Monday through Friday – but I think we’ll give him the weekends off,” joked Sossamon.
Sossamon, who had been out of the funeral home business for several years, said his desire to help people in difficult times brought him back. “I’m ready to get back. I enjoy helping people, especially in their time of need.”
“Their time of need” includes looking for guidance, direction and comfort, according to Sossamon. “As a funeral director, people pay me to carry out their wishes or their loved ones’ wishes the way they want them carried out and that’s exactly what we intend to do.”
While he intends to honor the traditions established by previous owners Carlton Flowers, Irene Flowers and John Ayscue, Sossamon said services will undergo a “modernization” with additions such as slideshows and live streaming of videos for those family members and friends who are not able to physically attend.
In the spirit of honoring traditions, Sossamon wants to reassure the community that any prearrangements that were made with Flowers Funeral Home will be upheld and honored.
“We’ve had a lot of calls and texts asking about prearrangements; preparations that were done by Flowers Funeral Home are safe with Sossamon Funeral Home.”
When asked what prompted the name change, Sossamon replied that it was all about family and passing the business on to future generations. “We wanted to make it about our family to your family. I want my children to continue on with it one day.”
The Sossamon name is a familiar one in the local community as John’s father Rev. Frank Sossamon is the long-serving senior pastor of South Henderson Pentecostal Holiness Church.
When asked about the Reverend’s involvement at the funeral home, Sossamon replied that his father will remain at the church full-time but will be available for visitations or services “as he knows most of the families that will come through these doors.”
Sossamon agrees that he and his father are very much alike in all but musical talent. “Since I closed on the business, I can’t tell you how many people have said I look like my dad and sound like him. I always tell them that I don’t sing like him!”
Along with working with his father, Sossamon is also looking forward to his interactions with other funeral homes in the community and said he is grateful for the respectful relationship that they already share. “I think a lot of those people. We are all in the service industry and we serve people.”
Sossamon welcomes all those with questions or those who just want to say hello to call (252) 438-4717 or stop by Sossamon Funeral Home for a chat.
To hear the interview with John Sossamon as played on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program, please click here.
-Information courtesy the Vance County Tax Administration website
January 1st
Day as of which value, ownership, and situs of real and personal property are determined for ad valorem tax purposes. [G.S. 105-285]
January 6th
Begin 2% interest on unpaid taxes. [G.S. 105-360(a)]
January 31st
Last day of regular listing period. [G.S. 105-307]
Last day of timely filing of abstracts and exemption, exclusion, or use-value applications, except applications for elderly or disabled exclusion. [G.S. 105- 282.1, 105-277.4, 105-277.5]
Last day to file for Builders Exclusion [G.S. 105-277.02]
Tax collector must advertise tax liens at least once between March 1st and June 30th. [G.S. 105-369(c)]
April 15th
Filing deadline for business property that has been granted an extension.
June 1st
Last day to submit elderly/disabled exclusion, circuit breaker and disabled veteran’s exclusion.
September 1st
Current year taxes become due. [G.S. 105-360(a)]
For more information regarding tax rates, fees and deadlines, please visit https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/tax-overview/
