Overnight Fire Destroys Historic Building

Overnight Fire Destroys Historic Building

UPDATE: 10:30 a.m.

A house that must be over 100 years old and that was a home place, later a funeral home and a present-day church was destroyed by fire overnight.  It’s historic from a standpoint of its age, but also because of the well-known and respected families and organizations that have used it, including the Kesler family, the Flowers family and other present day owners.

No one was injured according to City of Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell when the former Flowers Funeral Home Building at the corner of North Garnett Street and Hamilton Street burned.

An investigation is underway, and Cordell will join Kevin Bullock and George Rush at 11 a.m. today on TownTalk, if he can step away from that investigation for a few moments.

Cordell indicated the fire started about 4 a.m. or 4:15 a.m. and was fully engulfed when fire fighters arrived.

There are pictures and comments on the WIZS Facebook page.

Another popular, local Facebook page, Remember When…(Reminiscing About Henderson, NC) has a video of the fire and a place to comment.

H/V Chamber and HPD to Partner for Reverse Raffle

Update 11-1-16:

Reverse Raffle to benefit Shop With a Cop is THIS Saturday.  Purchase your tickets now and donate items.

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The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce along with the Henderson Police Department (HPD) are partnering to host a reverse raffle. The event will benefit a program serving local underprivileged children called “Shop With a Cop” along with the Chamber of Commerce and its efforts to help local business.

The event is scheduled for Saturday, November 5 and will be held at Henderson Country Club beginning at 5:30 p.m. Tickets are on sale now and include dinner for two and a chance at the $5,000 grand prize. Throughout the evening, guests will be given opportunities to bid on various silent auction items as well as two reserved tickets which will be auctioned toward the end of the ticket drawing. Three reserved tickets will also be raffled during the course of evening.

The “Shop With a Cop” activity will take place in December at which time members of the HPD will take local underprivileged children shopping with local retailers for Christmas. A certain dollar amount of the proceeds raised will be set aside for each participating child. “I’m so excited about this event and the good that we can do for the local community with the proceeds. The HPD is always anxious to do what we can to help children”, said Police Chief Marcus Barrow.

There are opportunities for local businesses to donate silent auction items, sponsor the event or help in other ways. Members of the HPD and Chamber staff and board of directors will be making community contacts in the very near future.

If you or your business would like to purchase tickets, donate items or get more information, contact the HPD, Chamber board members or the Chamber office at 252-438-8414.

Local Men’s Homeless Shelter Opens Today

The local Men’s Homeless Shelter opens today for the season, and volunteers are needed immediately for overnight shifts, greeting shifts and to help feed the guests.

Community Partners of Hope facilitates the operation of the shelter at The First Presbyterian Church here in Henderson, and CPOH has an email publication available to volunteers and perspective volunteers.

To volunteer, contact Jane King (252)432-9494 or cpofhope@gmail.com.

To make donations, please contact Betty Boyd (252) 432-3967 or drop off at First Baptist Church MTWT 9:00am-5:00pm or Friday 9:00 to noon.

The latest list of volunteer needs listed in the CPOH email include:

“Please consider giving one evening (5:30-9:00) when you will work with one of the managers, or find a buddy to share overnight duties (9:00pm-6:30am).  You will find the experience rewarding.”

We need to fill in the following dates for shelter supervisors (both shifts)
Thursday, November 3
Saturday, November 5 (overnight only)
Sunday, November 13
Friday, November 18
Saturday, November 19
Entire week of November 20-26 except Monday.

“Please help us feed our guests!”

We need to fill in the following dates for shelter meals
Friday, November 4
Friday, November 18
Sunday, November 20
Friday, November 25
Saturday, November 26

Town Talk 11/01/16

Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 11/01/16

News 11/01/16

Henderson Police Department Needs Your Help

A team of Assessors from the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA) will arrive on December 4, 2016 to examine all aspects of the Henderson Police Department’s policy and procedures, management, operations and support services.

Verification by the team that the Henderson Police Department meets the Commission’s state-of-the-art standards is part of a voluntary process to gain accreditation – a highly prized recognition of law enforcement professional excellence.

As part of the on-site assessment, agency employees and members of the community are invited to offer comments at a public information session on Monday, December 5, 2016 at 6 pm. The session will be conducted at the meeting room at the City of Henderson Operations Center Conference Room, 900 South Beckford Drive. Henderson NC 27536.

If for some reason an individual cannot speak at the public information session but would like to provide comments to the assessment team, he/she may do so by telephone.  The public may call (252) 739-7040 on Monday, December 5, 2016 between the hours of 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm.

Telephone comments as well as appearances at the public information session are limited to five (5) minutes and must address the agency’s ability to comply with CALEA standards. A copy of the standards will be available for viewing at the Henderson Police Department Front Desk after 11/01/2016. The local contact is Lieutenant C.D. Ball at (252)431-6069.

Persons wishing to offer written comments about the Henderson Police Department’s ability to meet the standards for accreditation are requested to write: Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc. (CALEA).

The Police Department has to comply with over 440 standards in order to gain accredited status. By achieving accredited status, the department will be recognized nationally and internationally in the law enforcement community.

The assessment team is composed of law enforcement practitioners from similar but out-of-state agencies. The assessors will review written materials, interview individuals, and visit officers and other places where compliance can be witnessed. The assessing team is comprised of the team leader and one (1) additional assessor. Once the Commission’s assessors complete their review of the agency, they report back to the Commission, which will then decide if the department is to be granted accredited status.

Accreditation is for four (4) years, during which time the agency must submit annual reports attesting continued compliance with those standards under which it was initially accredited.

For more information regarding the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies, Inc., please write the Commission at 13575 Heathcote Blvd, Suite 320, Gainsville VA 20155 or call (703)352-4225

Warren County NAACP to Lead March to the Polls

On Thursday, November 3rd, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. the Warren County Branch of the NAACP will lead a March to the Polls and celebrate their voting rights victory in the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals. They will be joined by Rev. Dr. William J. Barber, II, President of the North Carolina NAACP.

The March to the Polls is part of the statewide “It’s Our Time, It’s Our Vote” campaign to register, educate, mobilize and protect the vote in North Carolina. The Warren County March is one of more than 55 marches across the state during Early Voting.

Warren County March to the Polls is to heighten awareness as we elect county commissioners, judges, senators, governors, president and other officials. These offices are so important that full participation of every eligible voter is recommended.

Before the march, Dr. Barber will discuss the importance of this election and the historic voting rights victory in the case of “NC NAACP vs McCrory” when key portions of House Bill 589 were overturned by the 4th Circuit Court of Appeals.

Town Talk 10/31/16

Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 10/31/16