West Creek, West Hills, 158 Bypass Community Watch
Thursday night in the Maria Parham Health auditorium, Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell spoke at the West Creek, West Hills, 158 By Pass Community Watch meeting. Community watch president Susan Adcock told WIZS News how much the organization appreciated Cordell presenting the program.
Adcock said, “Chief Cordell said proper smoke/fire alarms in our homes could save our lives. He talked about fire safety measures in the home: smoke alarms and fire extinguishers. He talked about the Reading a Book with a Fireman Program for Kindergarten Students conducted at Rollins, Vance Charter School and Henderson Collegiate. He spoke of the work of a fireman and the programs they conduct for the city residents, such as going door to door to inspect smoke alarms, and other assistance to city residents.”
Amazingly, the fire alarm sounded in the auditorium during the presentation. Adcock said, “Community Watch members filed out of the auditorium and onto the back parking lot. Shortly thereafter, all were able to return to the auditorium.”
She said, “The Chief presented a very informative program!”
If your community watch organization would like to publish information about guest speakers and other community news, please email johncharles@wizs.com or fill out the form on the PSAs page of wizs.com.
Missing Person Reported in Franklin County
The Following is a Press Release from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office.
Rebecca Ann Jamason was last seen in the area of Nipper Lane, Youngsville, NC on 03/23/2017.
Her last clothing description was blue jeans, white shirt, and black boots.
Last known direction of travel was towards Louisburg, NC operating a 1999 silver Volkswagen Jetta.
North Carolina License Plate EEL-5518.
Anyone having contact or information regarding Rebecca Ann Jamason is asked to contact the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office at 919-496-2186.
Rebecca Ann Jamason
Age: 49
Height : 5 Feet
Weight: 107 Pounds
Hair: Strawberry Blonde
Eyes: Blue
H-V Chamber to Host Ribbon Cutting for New Downtown Business
Please be advised that a Ribbon Cutting will be held for Fierce Feet by Tweet at their 133 South Garnett Street location in Henderson on Thursday, April 27 at 10:00 a.m. to celebrate the official opening of this new business and membership with the Chamber.
Please join the Chamber Board and staff in this celebration to help support and formally welcome this new business into the Chamber and Henderson. The celebration is open for all to attend.
Their hours of operation will be 9: 00 a.m. til 6:00 p.m. Monday – Saturday and 1:00 p.m. til 6:00 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information, please contact them at 252-425-2287.
Vance County Board of Ed Approves 10 million dollar funding request
Vance County Schools
For Immediate Release
April 20, 2017
The Vance County Board of Education at its regular monthly meeting on April 17, approved a funding request of $10,219,321 for appropriations from Vance County for the 2017-2018 fiscal year.
The request will go on to the Vance County Board of Commissioners for its review, along with other county funding requests, beginning at its May 1 meeting.
The school system’s local funding request includes an increase of $1,021,881 from the current fiscal year. The increased funding request would help the school district continue its positive trend through sustaining operations with continuation funds of $121,523, fully funding the school system’s teacher supplement with an additional $400,359 to help retain and support quality staff and increase the capital outlay funding by $500,000 to support the district’s school safety plan.
If approved, the requested county appropriations funding would maintain existing programs and services based on current per-pupil funding and inflationary factors.
The request for increased teacher supplement funding would boost available revenues which currently fund supplements for only 64 percent of eligible teachers. The school district has been using available fund balance monies to offset the difference each year for the last several years.
The requested increase in capital outlay funds will be used for school safety initiatives that include installing new cameras on all school buses and in school buildings.
The Vance County Board of Commissioners is expected to approve all county funding for the upcoming fiscal year by July 1.
E.M. Rollins becomes first year-round school in Vance County
The Vance County Board of Education at its meeting on Monday, April 17, approved the year-round calendar for the 2017-2018 school year for E.M. Rollins Elementary School, which has been designated as a restart school by the state.
E.M. Rollins will begin the new school year as a STEAM school, with an emphasis on student instruction in the areas of science, technology, engineering, the arts and mathematics.
E.M. Rollins Elementary will be the first year-round school in the Vance County Public School System.
With the approved calendar, school staff members will begin work for the new school year on Monday, July 17. The first day of classes for students at E.M. Rollins will be Tuesday, August 1.
The calendar will follow the basic format of students attending school for 45-day periods (nine weeks) and then having 15 days (three weeks) as a break after each nine weeks through the year.
The school will still observe all designated state holidays, as do our other local schools. The school’s Thanksgiving break will include Wednesday, November 22, as a non-student day and Thursday, November 23-Friday, November 24 as holidays.
Christmas break will be Monday, December 18-Friday, January 5. Their spring break will be observed during one of the school’s three-week breaks, Monday, March 19-Friday, April 6.
The last day of school for the 2017-2018 school year at E.M. Rollins Elementary will be Friday, June 22.
Southern Vance High School Inducts 53 into National Beta Club
A total of 53 students who attend Southern Vance High School have been inducted into the school’s chapter of the National Beta Club.
The students were recognized during an assembly held in the school’s gymnasium on April 6.
They join 74 current members in the chapter’s Beta Club.
Andrea Coleman of Duke Energy Progress, was the featured speaker during the induction ceremony. She praised the students for their high academic achievements that led them to be inducted into the prestigious educational association.
The new inductees are shown in the accompanying photo. They include, seated from left on the front row, Diamond Alston, Corey Baldwin, Justus Baldwin, Kailee Ball, Reyna Orzco, Madonna Baselios, Magan Bass, Karmin Caceres, Sherrod Carter and Miracle Chin. On the second row, from left, are Areli Clemente, Victoria Cruz, Zamari Ellis, Litzi Gonzalez, She’Nyia Hargrove, Deana Hawkins, Shayquan Henderson, Emily Isidro, Jillion Johnson and Joshua Joyner. Seated from left on the third row are Maleny Lopez, Perla Lopez, Crystal Marrow, Diamonds Marrow, Jacob May, Mya McKnight, Desmond Mills, Ashley Mosley, 
April Pendergrass and Shaniya Pernell. Students on the fourth row, from left, include Imani Perry, Wendy Portillo, Hailey Reavis, Litzy Renteria, OnJahlaya Robinson, Camri Ross, Bryanna Simril, William Strickland, Robert Susewell and Kaitlyn Tant. Seated from left on the back row are Dayon Thornton, Tar’Naja Thorpe, Gabriela Ventura, Dyamond Williams, Zachary Williamson and Xavier Wilson.
Additional students who were inducted as new Beta Club members, but were not available for the photo include Hakeem Agbele, Sarah Burns, Itzy Chavarin, Cynthia Hernandez, Natalee Stephens, Conner Thompson and Jodi Waite.