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TownTalk: NARCAN The Subject Of Public Safety Committee Meeting

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The Public Safety Committee of the City of Henderson met Wednesday to discuss several topics including planning for how to spend money coming the city’s way from the second wave of the national opioid settlement.

Sara Coffey chairs the committee, which includes Melissa Elliott, Lamont Noel and Jason Spriggs. They were joined by City Manager Terrell Blackmon and assistant manager Paylor Spruill to discuss possible uses for the money, which is expected to be about $166,000. The city of Henderson got more than $200,000 in the first wave of the opioid settlement.

The city is one on only a handful of municipalities to get an appropriation – the bulk of the $600 million of North Carolina’s second-wave allotment goes to counties – Blackmon said.

And the money is supposed to be spent on treatment for those with opioid addiction, he noted.

One form of treatment is administration of NARCAN, which reverses the overdose effect of opioids. It’s a nasal spray and is fairly simple to administer.

Perhaps some of the funds – which the city will receive over the course of time and not in a lump sum – could be used to purchase NARCAN and have it available for use by police officers, first responders and even in schools.

This approach would satisfy the requirement that the money be used in ways that help people affected by opioids. Spruill said in the meeting that an over-the-counter form will be available soon.

The medicine causes no harm if administered to someone who isn’t in an opioid crisis, but it can be life-saving if administered to someone who is overdosing.

Coffey said she would hope the money would be used to help prevent more opioid issues in the community; she said first responders and the hospital deal with overdoses every single day.

This topic is on the agenda for the April 10 City Council meeting.

 

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Henderson Man Faces Multiple Drug Charges; Police Seize Cocaine, Heroin, Marijuana

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A Henderson man faces numerous drug charges as a result of an investigation by the Henderson Police Department Narcotics Unit.

Cedric Antwon Neal, 36, of 212 Charles St. is in the Vance County Detention Center under a $469,998 bond.

Three search warrants were executed on April 4, 2023 – one at 408 Young Street, a second at 212 Charles St., and the third at the Scottish Inn, 1759 N. Garnett St., according to information from Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow.

Officers confiscated 148 bricks of Schedule I, an additional 40 dosage units of Schedule I, 458 grams of cocaine, 52.5 grams of Schedule VI, as well as five semi-auto handguns, and $11,919 in U.S. currency.
According to the press release, Neal is a convicted felon and is currently under federal probation.

The charges against Neal are:

  • 5 counts of possession of a firearm by a felon
  • 6 counts of trafficking heroin
  • 2 counts of trafficking cocaine
  • 1 count of felony maintaining a dwelling
  • 1 count each of possession with intent to maintain, sell and deliver cocaine and marijuana
  • 1 count of manufacturing cocaine
  • 1 count manufacture, sell, deliver, possess within 1000 feet of a school

In addition to the bond, Neal remains in jail under a federal detainer for a probation violation.

West End Baptist

West End Baptist Establishes Scholarship At VGCC

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  • information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

West End Baptist Church has endowed a new scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College. The newly established scholarship represents years of dedication and contributions from West End Baptist Church.

The $15,000 donation to the VGCC Foundation creates a “Presidential Merit Award” level scholarship which means that the scholarship will provide $750 a year to cover tuition, books and college fees. The scholarship will be available to students in Vance County from the Fall 2023/Spring 2024 academic year onward. Preference will be given to students who have a minimum 2.5 high school or college GPA, are enrolled in at least 9 credit hours, have membership at West End or are referred by a church member.

Students interested in applying for VGCC scholarships are encouraged to apply beginning in mid-April.

“This scholarship presents another wonderful opportunity to expand resources that will allow us to educate, inspire, and support a diverse community of learners to achieve professional and personal success,” said Tanya S. Weary, VGCCF Executive Director.

Church treasurer Jerry Parrish and church member Bobby Van Brunt recently joined Pastor Cade M. Patterson in presenting a check to the Vance-Granville Community College Foundation. Van Brunt is both a WEBC member and former VGCC employee, and he played a major part in making the scholarship a success.

“We are proud to partner with VGCC to enable deserving students to further their education,” Van Brunt commented.  “Whether the choice is technical education or foundation for a university degree, students will achieve success for themselves while becoming an asset to the community.”

West End Baptist Church will celebrate its centennial anniversary in May, and it has been at its current location on Dabney Drive since 1944. Patterson said he sees this gift as a natural extension of the church’s mission within the community.

“I’m grateful to serve this generous congregation,” said Patterson. “As a church, West End strives to love our neighbors, just as Jesus commanded us. We hope that this scholarship is a gift that will lead people to consider Christ’s incredible generosity toward us.”

The VGCC Foundation offers more than 300 endowed scholarships for VGCC students—more than any other program of its kind in North Carolina. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, and churches, as well as the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Foundation have often been used to honor a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call 252.738.3409.

Maria Parham Health Adds Midwife To Women’s Care Staff

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-information courtesy of Maria Parham Health Donna Young, Market Coordinator, Communications and Marketing

Maria Parham Health will have the services of a new midwife available to see patients in the hospital’s Women’s Care clinic.

“We are pleased to welcome Liz Carr to our Women’s Care team,” said Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health. “We pride ourselves on our capacity to give new parents more choices in the childbirth experience, and Carr’s background as a Certified Nurse Midwife will be an important addition to Maria Parham’s award-winning Labor & Delivery Unit.”

Carr earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing from the University of Kentucky College of Nursing and a Master of Science Degree in Nursing from Frontier Nursing University in Versailles, KY. She also received midwifery education, training and experience from NorthShore Health Center in Indiana, the University of Louisville Midwife Clinic in  Kentucky, Sterling Women’s Care in Kentucky and the University of Kentucky Midwife Clinic.

She specializes in obstetrical care, general gynecological care, postpartum care, hormone replacement therapy, high-risk pregnancy, contraceptive counseling and menopause management.

Carr will be seeing patients at Maria Parham Women’s Care. For a referral or to schedule an appointment, please call 252.492.8576.

 

 

SportsTalk: Local AD’s Preparing For Playoffs

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The life of an athletic director at any level can be busy.  This time of year not only are there sporting activities, but there are proms, graduation and other end of school year events taking place to add to the load ADs face. Both Ray Noel at Vance County High School and George Hoyle Jr. at Thales Academy certainly have full plates.

Noel says the Vance County Vipers are about at the halfway point for baseball, softball and soccer.  Playoffs for baseball and soccer will begin in the first week of May with soccer following in the second week of May.  The baseball and softball teams are coming off wins against Granville Central and the girl’s soccer team, which is described as young by Noel, has now started to win some games with two conference victories under their belt.

The baseball team is down a player at the moment according to Noel.  “Chris Jones is in California for an All-Star Football game,” Noel said.  Jones, a star on the Viper’s football team, is also a big part of the baseball team as well. Noel also said the Isman Alston Jr., another Vipers football standout, has just signed with St. Augustine.  He also plays on the baseball team.

Over at Thales Academy in Rolesville, Henderson’s George Hoyle Jr. is the athletic director, and he is as busy as Noel. He also has a young soccer team with only one senior and a tough non-conference schedule has now resulted in a couple of conference wins, with the team having won its last two games.  His softball team is in the same position, young but improving with a 3-5 record. Varsity baseball is definitely on the upward track at Thales as they are now 6-3.  Thales’ is set to be good for the foreseeable future as well. “Our middle school talent is ridiculous,” Hoyle said on Thursday’s SportsTalk.  The school, which started in 2007, has shown tremendous growth as they are now a 3A school and could soon be a 4A.

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TownTalk: Kittrell Job Corps’ Positive Impact On Students

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Kittrell Job Corps Center is a place where young adults can find their way – to education, support services, training and a career. Center Director Norman Turner said there are just a few criteria that applicants must satisfy to start their KJCC journey. A

One student, Ken’Dal “Della” McCants, is currently in the CNA program and said Kittrell Job Corps just “works” for her.

Turner, McCants and Outreach Career Transition Director Vernell Milon were guests on TownTalk to discuss all that KJCC has to offer.

Turner has been working at KJCC for about 16 years, and he said there are abourt 200 students currently enrolled in one of the many programs that Kittrell Job Corps offers – from getting a high school diploma to office administration, facilities management, culinary arts and security, just to name a few.

Like so many other programs, the COVID-19 pandemic created a wrinkle how KJCC operates. The school, which has two dorms for students to live on campus, also has programs for the non-traditional college student.

“COVID put a damper on our ability to recruit students,” Turner said, “but we’re back fully open and ready to roll,” he continued. The school can accommodate 350 students.

Milon and her team of a dozen counselors and eight career transition specialists consider the individual needs of the students they work with to make sure they are successful as they continue along the path to financial independence and gainful employment.

The programs at KJCC are totally free, and there are a good number of wraparound services like medical care, clothing allowances and the like to make sure students have proper attire for jobs and can get the medical attention they need.

Milon and her team of counselors spread the word throughout the community about what the Job Corps is, what it does and who it’s for.

“It’s not just for underserved or at-risk students,” Milon said; rather, it’s for anyone between the ages of 16-24 who wants to make a difference in their lives – and find a career that they enjoy.

Not everyone is meant to go to college, Milon said, but everyone can work. And she wants all her students to have jobs that pay at least $17/hour.

“We want them to be better off than when they first got here,” she said.

McCants, the CNA student, considers herself a good fit for the Job Corps program because the teachers give you the “time and space to learn” instead of trying to get through the curriculum and moving on to the next thing.

She said her teachers are very helpful and are helping her reach her goal of becoming a traveling nurse.

The Kittrell location is one of more than 120 Job Corps programs across the country. New students are enrolled every Tuesday and Turner said there are 10 more students starting their Job Corps journey this week.

“We’re wide open,” Turner said. “We’re open for business.

Want to learn more? Contact Milon at 252.438.9116 or visit

www.kittrell.jobcorps.gov.

 

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VGCC Logo

VGCC Adds NC Wesleyan As Transfer Option To Complete 4-Year Degree

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-information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Students who complete their two-year degree have another option when choosing where to continue on the path to a four-year university degree: North Carolina Wesleyan University. The two schools recently entered into an agreement that will allow VGCC students to participate in Wesley Works, a transfer program that offers benefits to students who want to obtain a college diploma.

VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais shared optimism about the partnership. “By this new agreement with NC Wesleyan University, I am pleased that VGCC graduates will have more options than ever to continue their path to a four-year degree,” Demarais stated in a press release.

The agreement will enhance and expand the educational opportunities of Associate in Arts, Associate in Fine Arts, Associate in Science, and Associate in Applied Science graduates by offering VGCC graduates access to the benefits of the Wesleyan Works program, pre-admission advising, generous transfer credit, and a clear definition of the transfer of courses from VGCC to NC Wesleyan. This Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) allows VGCC Associate in Applied Science students to transfer an additional 15 hours of general education credits for a total of 75 transfer credits.

“We’re proud to add Vance-Granville Community College to our array of partners we have transfer agreements with. They join over 40 other colleges and community colleges with seamless transfer pathways to NC Wesleyan University following completion of a two-year degree,” stated NCWU President Dr. Evan D. Duff. “Through our Wesleyan Works program, all AA/AS/AAS community college graduates gain automatic acceptance to NCWU with no application fee and the ability to transfer in up to 75 credit hours. This smooth transfer process allows community college graduates a simple path to making their education attainable in order to accomplish their goals in life.”

Students who graduate from VGCC and transfer under this agreement may select any of NC Wesleyan’s programs of study or may transfer to the college’s Adult and Professional Studies program, taking advantage of the Wesleyan Works program. Students are required to maintain a minimum GPA of 2.0 and be in good academic standing. The agreement brings NC Wesleyan within the reach of VGCC students who may not have otherwise been able to attend the college.

Wesleyan Works is a transfer program designed for community college students who plan to continue their education at NC Wesleyan. Students who participate in Wesleyan Works will have access to academic advising and financial aid counseling through NC Wesleyan, as well as access to events on the college’s main campus. The program is ideal for students who would like to attend NC Wesleyan’s evening or online programs.

North Carolina Wesleyan University, a private institution affiliated with the United Methodist Church, prepares students for professional advancement, life-long learning and responsible participation in their communities. NC Wesleyan University provides a highly personalized education in a dynamic and challenging environment. With students from all over the United States and more than 40 different countries, NC Wesleyan is a small college with a big taste for cultural diversity. To learn more about either school, visit www.vgcc.edu or www.ncwc.edu.

Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Upcoming At Perry Memorial Library

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Although geared for middle and high school audiences, Perry Memorial Library Youth Services Director Melody Peters said the Bull City Slam Team program on April 11 is a community program to which all are welcome.

If she were to call it a poetry reading, Peters knew she may be met with yawns of disinterest. It IS poetry, but it’s so much more, as she explained on the regular library segment on The Local Skinny!

“It’s an evening of spoken word,” Peters said, adding that she likens it more to a live performance than a recitation. “Really, it’s a form of storytelling.”

“It’s interactive, original work, (and) it’s powerful because it’s coming from a place that really matters” to the artist.

Bull City Slam Team practices their art regularly and programs like the one at the library help them be polished and ready to win the competitions they enter.

Students in grades 6-12 have another opportunity at the library to participate in a Spring Break Nutrition Camp. Cooperative Extension agents will work with campers to create healthy recipes from recipe to the plate. “It’s going to be a busy, hands-on” day, Peters said, adding that she hopes future camps can be held over the course of several days.

On April 18, the Survival Skills class continues and participants will be creating their own stuffed animal – a furry frog, Peters said. This program begins at 4:30 p.m.

An after-hours statewide Star Party is scheduled for Saturday, April 22 at Kerr Lake’s Satterwhite Point Community Building.

This program begins at 7:45 p.m. and concludes at 9:30 p.m. Participants will get to use telescopes to check out the night sky, far away from the light pollution created by urban, commercial areas. There will be lots of activities to learn more about astronomy.

No need to register, Peters said, just come on out to 269 Glass House Road and enjoy the fun.

This activity is in partnership with the Kerr Lake State Recreation Area and the Morehead Planetarium in Chapel Hill.

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