The Local Skinny! Holiday Fest Dec. 7 After Parade

/by

The first “Very Merry Henderson Holiday Fest” is set for Saturday, Dec. 7 following the Christmas parade that begins at 3 p.m.

The event will be held in the Breckenridge Street area from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., and will include activities for all ages, including horse-drawn carriage rides, a hot cocoa station, a S’mores booth and free photos with the Jolly Old Elf himself.

Trish Burroughs is one of the organizers, and she said it’s a way to bring the community together “to embrace the joy of the season.”

Mayor Melissa Elliott will kick things off at 4 p.m. with the lighting of the greens outside McGregor Hall, Burroughs said on Monday’s The Local Skinny!

With evening temps expected to be dipping into the 30’s by sunset Saturday, folks can enjoy the parade and then come to the Breckenridge area to enjoy the annual Festival of Trees in the McGregor Gallery, as well as a bouncy house, food trucks and music.

“It’s just going to be a great event,” Burroughs said.

The idea grew from suggestions about how to make the Christmas tree lighting more robust, said Gateway CDC Founder and President Heather Joi Kenney, another member of the planning committee.

Tracy Mosley, executive director of Helping All People Excel, said once the mayor got on board, she “called others to the table and it has become a beautiful collaboration of the city and citizens.”

Burroughs said anyone interested in being a volunteer, a vendor or a sponsor can contact her at 252.430.9057 and she will be happy to provide more information.

Visit the event’s website at https://sites.google.com/view/verymerryhenderson/home to learn more.

CLICK PLAY for Broadcast Audio!

Two Vance County Men Face Drug Charges In Stop On I-85

/by

— information courtesy of Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow

Two Vance County men face a variety of drug charges following a vehicle stop on I-85 in Durham County.

The arrests took place on Thursday, Nov. 7 and were the result of a combined investigation by the Henderson Police Department, N.C. State Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and through assistance from the Durham County Sheriff’s Office, according to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow.

Cristopher Terry, Jr., 31, and Dakwane Jones, 32, both of Vance County, face charges that include trafficking cocaine and marijuana, among other charges, according to a press release Barrow issued Wednesday. The driver, Terry, initially refused to stop, but after a brief pursuit and subsequent foot chase, both suspects were arrested.

A search of the vehicle netted 1,291.26 grams of cocaine and 10.16 grams of marijuana.

Terry faces the following charges:

  • one count of felony flee/elude arrest with a motor vehicle
  • one count of trafficking cocaine
  • one count of possession with intent to manufacture, sell, deliver marijuana
  • two counts of maintain vehicle/ dwelling place for a controlled substance
  • one count of possession with intent to manufacture, sell, deliver cocaine
  • four counts of assault government official/employee
  • one count of aggressive driving
  • one count of resisting public officer

Jones faces the following charges:

  • one count of trafficking cocaine
  • one count of possession with intent to manufacture, sell, deliver marijuana
  • one count of alter/steal/destroy criminal evidence
  • one count of resisting public officer
  • one count of possession drug paraphernalia

Both men were remanded to the Durham County Detention Center. Terry received a no bond and Jones was placed under a $750,000 bond.

One Arrest In Traffic Stop That Turned Into Two-County Chase

/by

Members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office patrol division attempted a traffic stop Monday that turned into chase across two counties before the suspect was apprehended.

Jatavious Reid, wanted on outstanding felony warrants, was driving a red Toyota Tacoma pickup truck and failed to stop as sheriff’s officers attempted the stop.

A chase ensued into Granville County and then back into Vance County, where Henderson Police successfully deployed Stop Sticks.

Reid ran from the vehicle and fled into a nearby wooded area. He was apprehended after a brief period when he ran across the road and officers pursued him on foot.

Reid faces the following charges:

  • two counts of felony flee to elude arrest with motor vehicle
  • possession of firearm by felon
  • second-degree kidnapping
  • resisting public officer
  • two counts of reckless driving to endanger
  • fail to feed light or siren
  • fail to maintain lane control
  • felony larceny
  • two counts of burglary
  • child abuse

Reid is in the Vance County Detention Center with $55,000 secured bond for a previous incident and was given no bond for the car chase on Monday.

Henderson Police Make Arrest In Armed Robbery

/by

— Press release from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow

On the afternoon of the 26th of November, officers were dispatched to an armed robbery in the 1000 block of Nicholas Street.

The armed assailant brandished a firearm and demanded money. The victim relinquished an undisclosed sum of money, according to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow.

Vance County 911 telecommunicators dispatched the call and officers in the area quickly responded. The suspect, with the weapon in hand, was spotted by officers a short distance from the scene, and a perimeter was established.

The suspect, identified as Yusef Jafar, 24, of 505 Skenes Ave, was located hiding in a shed behind a neighborhood residence, and the firearm was located nearby. Jafar was taken into custody without incident and transported to the Henderson Police Department for processing.

Jafar was remanded to the Vance County Detention Center without bond, due to having several orders for arrest from failing to appear in court on previous charges.

NC State Board of Elections

State Board Completes Canvass, Certifies Most Results Of Nov. 5 Elections

/by

The State Board of Elections on Tuesday unanimously certified the results of the 2024 general election in North Carolina, ensuring the ballots of more than 5.7 million voters were counted.

The bipartisan State Board voted 5–0 to canvass the votes cast in all ballot items within the jurisdiction of the State Board, including the presidential contest, and authenticate the count in every ballot item, except for contests under recount.

More than 5.7 million NC voters cast ballots in the November 5 election, a 73.7 percent turnout of registered voters.

“Today, the State Board made sure that the votes of more than 5.7 million North Carolinians who voted in the 2024 election were counted,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “We appreciate the hard work of election officials and poll workers across North Carolina who helped make this election a success, despite the catastrophic Hurricane Helene, which struck just weeks before Election Day.”

According to information on the N.C. State Board of Elections website, certificates of elections will be issued to winning candidates 6 days after today’s canvass, except for the presidential race (determined by the Electoral College),  contests under recount and contests with pending protests.

The 10 contests currently under review include:

  • NC Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 6 (Statewide)​
  • NC State Senate District 18 (Granville, Wake)​
  • NC State Senate District 42 (Mecklenburg)​
  • NC House of Representatives District 032 (Granville, Vance)​
  • NC House of Representatives District 105 (Mecklenburg) ​
  • Cabarrus County Board of Commissioners (Cabarrus)​
  • Pitt County Board of Commissioners District C (Pitt)​
  • City of Trinity City Council Ward 03 (Randolph)​
  • Rowan-Salisbury Schools Board of Education Seat 05 (Salisbury) (Rowan)
  • Wilson County Board of Education District 04 (Wilson)​

The state certification came after the 100 county boards of elections recently certified results at the county level and after post-election audits conducted over the past couple weeks verified the counts. The State Board will issue certificates of election to the prevailing candidates in contests under State Board jurisdiction.

The Local Skinny! Live Nativity At North Henderson Baptist Church

/by

Pastor Eddie Nutt invites the community to a live nativity presentation at North Henderson Baptist Church on Friday, Dec. 6 and Saturday, Dec. 7.

There will be three presentations offered between 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. both nights – lasting just about a half hour each.

Most of the characters will be portrayed by children, Nutt said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny! A narrator will read from the Gospels as the children act out the story of Jesus’s birth in Bethlehem.

This is the first time in several generations that the church has put on a live nativity. The idea was born when several church members had a desire to do something new for the community, Nutt said, “a different type of outreach to remind people of the true meaning of what Christmas is all about.”

There will be refreshments served – including fresh popcorn from a brand-new popcorn machine – and folks can come inside to shake off any winter chill in the air.

Nutt said it’s special to see church members who are willing to give their time to create a production like a live nativity. It shows they care for their community and they want to share the love of Jesus Christ, he added.

He admitted his relief that a real live donkey has been secured to take part in the live nativity.

“Because I was the closest thing they had until they got a real one,” he joked.

North Henderson Baptist Church is located at 1211 N. Garnett St.

 

CLICK PLAY!

 

Sheriff’s Office: Two Drug Arrests Made In Separate Vehicle Stops

/by

Press releases from Vance County Sheriff’s Office

The Vance County Sheriff’s Office made two drug arrests Monday in two separate vehicle stops.

  • On Monday, November 25, 2024, members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics unit conducted a vehicle stop in the 900 block of Faulknertown Road.  The driver was identified as Kemarreus Frank-Quan Jones, 22, of Henderson. During the investigation, a certain amount of crack cocaine, cocaine hydrochloride and heroin was seized.  Jones was charged with two counts of trafficking cocaine; two counts of trafficking heroin; one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver cocaine; one count of possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin; maintaining a vehicle to keep and sell controlled substances; and possession of drug paraphernalia.  Jones was released on a $187,000.00 secured bond.
  • On Monday, November 25, 2024, members of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics unit conducted a vehicle stop near the intersection of Crozier and Burr streets in Henderson.  During the investigation, a certain amount of heroin was seized from a passenger who was identified as Daquian Demard Nickolson, 34, of Louisburg.  Nickolson was charged with possession with intent to sell and deliver heroin. He is currently out on federal probation.  Nickolson, who is currently on federal probation, was released on a $20,000 secured bond, according to information from Capt. Gooch with the sheriff’s office.