New Salvation Army Facility to Focus on Local Youth
The Salvation Army is in the planning phase of building a new facility on Ross Mill Road in Henderson with a focus on serving youth in the five-county area.
The facility will be located on a 40-acre lot near the new Mako Medical Laboratories facility and new Vance Charter School location.
Captain Rick Langley with the Salvation Army, who was recently on air, said a sizeable trust is allowing this dream to become a reality.
“My wife and I came to this area from South Carolina in 2012,” said Langley. “Thanks to a sizeable trust that the Salvation Army received, things have been topsy-turvy in a positive way since then. It has allowed for a lot of growth.”
With architects finalizing building plans now, the goal is to break ground this June with completion expected by summer 2019.
The facility will include a community center, gym, full-size commercial kitchen and two ball fields – baseball and soccer. “The ball fields will help youth become more involved in sports and can be used as a playing field for Vance Charter School’s home games,” said Langley.
According to Langley, the facility will also offer band lessons, drama classes, cooking lessons and Christian dance classes.
To help meet the transportation needs of those interested in using the facility, the Salvation Army has already purchased a 12-passenger van and a bus with the option to purchase up to five additional buses if the need arises.
With a focus on providing youth with fun, productive activities, the organization’s goal is to provide better options than turning to a life of crime. “We can give options,” Langley said. “The options they have now are to join a gang or do nothing. We want to give them the option to do something productive like playing an instrument or play baseball.”
While the Salvation Army is low on volunteer opportunities at the moment, plenty of volunteers will be needed when the new facility opens next year. “Lots of volunteers will be needed when the building is completed,” said Langley. “We’ll need coaches, mentors, umpires, refs and plenty more.”
Langley is certain that the new facility will uphold the Salvation Army’s mission to “preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and meet human needs without discrimination.”
Mother’s Day Weekend Concert at McGregor Hall
-Information courtesy of the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center
Mother’s Day weekend concert with Terrance & Tiffany Brown at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center.
Friday, May 11, 2018, at 8 p.m.
Tickets on sale for $20 (before tax)
Dr. Terrance Brown, baritone, and Dr. Tiffany Bostic-Brown, soprano, are versatile, world-class vocalists who will present a program of Art Songs, German Lieder, Gospel and Broadway.
A native of Alabama, Dr. Brown holds a Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts, and currently serves as the Chair for the Department of Music and Director of Opera at the University of North Alabama (UNA).
Dr. Bostic-Brown, originally of Virginia, currently serves on the faculty at UNA and holds a Master of Music and a Doctor of Musical Arts. She also serves as Vice President for the Walk with Me Foundation, which works to preserve culture through the visual and performing arts.
Tickets may be purchased in-person at the box office of the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, 201 Breckenridge Street in downtown Henderson or by calling (252) 598-0662. The box office is open Monday – Friday from 1:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Tickets may also be purchased online by visiting www.McGregorHall.org (use the eTix official site, online fees apply).
Doors open one hour prior to showtime. Group and student discounts are available.
(This is not a paid advertisement)
Take Back North Carolina Initiative Press Conf
Wednesday afternoon at 3:30, the United States Attorney’s Office conducted a press conference at the Henderson Police Department. The audio of the press conference is available here. Discussed was the beginning of a new initiative to combat violent and drug crime in the Eastern District of North Carolina. This initiative will bring the full weight and resources of the federal court system in the fight against crime in the counties of Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin and all the counties of the Eastern District of NC in partnership with the District Attorneys’ offices and federal, state and local law enforcement. The initiative will also focus on the alarming level of opioid use and the deaths associated with it. The speaker was United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. and in attendance were the Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin County sheriffs as well as the Police Chief of Henderson, Oxford and Louisburg. Also present were the District Attorney for the 9th Prosecutorial District and the ADA. According to what was said at the press conference, the goal is to reverse the trends where violent crimes and drug-related deaths have shot up in the last couple of years both in North Carolina, specifically the Eastern District, and across the nation. Higdon said opioid use is higher in eastern NC than the rest of the state. He essentially said the federal government in recent years had stopped using all its tools to prosecute the worst offenders and charge them with the worst crime. He said the work was already underway and through cooperation among law enforcement agencies and local and federal prosecutors, the goal was to significantly reduce crime by getting the worst offenders in federal court as fast as possible. He said when death was involved in a drug case, a federal court can us a 20 year mandatory sentence. He said when a gun is in the possession of the offender five years can be added to the sentence, and that goes to seven years if the gun is brandished and 10 years if the gun is discharged. He said there would be a 14-day plea deadline, and it was best if the offender plead guilty to reduce his/her sentence and because the penalties would be consistent for offenders and the punishment would fit the crime. Crimes against a law enforcement officer would be given a priority. He said there would be seizure of assets – cash, car, house, business. He said the federal courts would be going after medical professionals who administer drugs inappropriately. He said he hoped to deter crime rather than have to prosecute.
Veterans Dog Walk at Vance Co. Animal Shelter
The Vance County Animal Shelter, located at 1243 Brodie Rd in Henderson, will host a Veterans Dog Walk on Saturday, May 12, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
The public is welcome, with veterans and first responders strongly encouraged to attend. Participants will be walking and interacting with selected shelter dogs in an effort to provide companionship and trust-building activities.
The event, titled Paws, Tails and Boots, was founded by veteran and Vance County Animal Shelter volunteer Mark Ferri. Ferri began the program in 2016 as a way to raise awareness of the mental health issues faced by veterans.
According to Ferri, the event has grown with the support of both the Vance County Animal Shelter and Chief Frankie Nobles. “Frankie and his staff are like family to me,” Ferri said. “I couldn’t do it without them.”
Ferri believes that the veterans and dogs interact so well because “both of us have had traumatic experiences, both of us need help and both of us need each other.”
By working together, Ferri believes that the interaction is beneficial and healing to both human and dog. “When you take a dog for a walk, the veteran engages with the public, gets out of their shell and builds trust,” said Ferri. “The animal also enjoys the walk and builds trust in humans as well.”
While there, Ferri and other participants will be encouraging others who are eligible to commit to adopting a shelter animal, be it dog or cat.
According to Ferri, the only thing you need to do to participate in the event is to “bring some good walking shoes and a good attitude.”
For more information on the Vance County Animal Shelter and their services, please visit their website at https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/animal%20control/.
Northern Vance High School Honors Graduation Marshals
Vance County Schools
For Immediate Release
Juniors who attend Northern Vance High School were honored on Friday, April 13, 2018, at a reception for their selection as graduation marshals for the Class of 2018.
The students were selected based on their outstanding academic achievements.
Northern Vance’s graduation ceremony will take place on Saturday, June 9, 2018, beginning at 12 p.m. in the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in downtown Henderson.
Those who will serve as graduation marshals include: front row – from left, Billy Zheng (lead marshal), Tomesha Jefferson, Matthew Munn, Ryan Stainback, Destinee Bullock and Briana Sulyans. Back row – from left, Anterrahn Harris, Brittany Kersey, Jaida Lewis, Alex Machado, Breana Williams and Tierra Bullock.
Southern Vance High School Honors Graduation Marshals
Vance County Schools
For Immediate Release
Students who are juniors at Southern Vance High School and have qualified as graduation marshals for the Class of 2018 due to their outstanding academic performance were honored at a reception recently at the school.
Southern Vance’s graduation ceremony will be held on Saturday, June 9, 2018, beginning at 8 a.m. in the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in downtown Henderson.
Those who will serve as graduation marshals include: first row – from left, Madonna Baselios, Mya McKnight, Shel’Nyia Hargrove, Miracle Chin, Tar’Naja Thorpe and April Pendergrass. Second row, from left, Eleodoro Nunez Aldana, Gabriela Ventura, Wendy Portillo and Robert Susewell. Unavailable for the photo were Shannon Riggan, Deana Hawkins and Aaliyah Simril.