$1.75M Grant To Expand VGCC Biotech Program At Franklin Campus

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Biotechnology continues to be a growing field in North Carolina, and Vance-Granville Community College recently announced that it will get $1.75 million to help expand its own biotechnology workforce training program.

VGCC is included in a statewide consortium of colleges, universities and other strategic partners like the N.C. Biotechnology Center and the N.C. Community College System’s BioNetwork, which collectively received a grant award totaling nearly $25 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration’s Build Back Better Regional Challenge.

The “NC BioBetter”project will provide grant funding to VGCC and nine other community colleges across the state, according to a press release from VGCC’s Dr. Jerry Edmonds III, VGCC vice president for Workforce & Community Engagement.

Stewart Lyon heads the school’s Bioprocess/Biotechnology program and said the funding will be used to buy new equipment for the current lab, which is located at the Franklin Campus,“so that students can get the up-to-date training they need,” Lyon said.

He said the program will create a second lab on campus so students can participate in day and evening courses.

“Vance-Granville Community College is delighted to be part of a coalition designed to increase access to good paying jobs in the Life Sciences sector,” said Dr. Rachel Desmarais, the president of VGCC. “Working together with partners from government agencies, private industry, K-12 schools, other community colleges and universities, VGCC is excited to bring this spectacular vision to life in our region.”

But the grant also will provide funds to add positions for three years. “Specifically, we are looking to hire one additional full-time biotechnology instructor as well as a full-time ‘pathway navigator,’ who will be an intensive advisor for the program,” Lyon said. “The navigator will reach out to the community, help new students through the onboarding admissions process, provide academic advising and mentorship throughout the students’ time in the program, and finally help complete their journey with resume prep and job search assistance as they prepare to graduate.”

Lyon noted that this project is designed to increase the number of North Carolinians who are trained and ready to fill positions in the biopharmaceutical industry workforce, with a specific intent to expand opportunity to under-represented populations in that field, including women and people of color. “This is a significant focus, but everyone enrolled in the program will equally benefit from the resources of the grant, including the faculty and staff it provides,” he said.

VGCC enjoys strong partnerships, particularly in the Franklin County area, which are helping to promote biotech and life sciences.

The grant funding is expected to have a ripple effect into the larger community, from creating a partnership with Louisburg High School for a STEM focused pathway for students interested in programs like Medical Office Administrative Assistant, Bioprocess Technology, and Information Technology/Cyber Security Support.

The STEM magnet program will become available to high school students throughout Franklin County. “We’re very excited for this opportunity and believe this is a way to make Bioprocess Technology available to more students,” said Danyelle Parker, executive director of secondary education and CTE for Franklin County Schools.

“We hope to grow the program and incorporate work-based learning, such as field trips and job shadowing with area Bio/Life Sciences companies. With growing demands in this field, we believe Bioprocess Technology is an excellent career opportunity for our students, and we are thrilled to be partnering with VGCC for this endeavor.”

In the Bioprocess Technology credit (curriculum) program, VGCC offers a certificate, which can be completed in six months; a diploma program, which takes about one year, and the two-year Associate in Applied Science degree. All these options are eligible for federal financial aid to qualified students. In addition, there is a BioWork Process Technician continuing education course offered periodically, in a format that takes less than one semester to complete. Prospective students can register now for “Bioprocess Practices” (BPM-110), which starts Jan. 6, 2023, in a hybrid format, combining some online coursework with in-person instruction at the Franklin Campus.

Anyone interested in becoming a biotechnology student is invited to contact Stewart Lyon at lyons@vgcc.edu or Veta Pierce-Cappetta at piercev@vgcc.edu.

TownTalk: Julee Flood, NC Appelate Court Judge Candidate

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-This article is part of WIZS’s continuing coverage of the Nov. 8 election.  

Julee Tate Flood currently works as attorney at the N.C. Court of Appeals, but she’s drawing on her broad experience in the field of law and her institutional knowledge of the state’s appellate court system in her race for Seat 8 on the N.C. Court of Appeals.

Flood, the Republican nominee for the seat on the 15-judge court, spoke with John C. Rose on Wednesday’s TownTalk. She currently works with Judge Jeffery Carpenter, one of the 15 judges that sit on the N.C. Court of Appeals.

“Diverse cases come before the court,” she said, adding that she and her team are challenged daily with pressing legal questions, but she is motivated to solve issues by applying the knowledge that she has gained during her career as an attorney.

Flood’s legal career spans more than two decades, and during that time, she said she’s worked with four Democratic judges and five Republican judges.

“My role has been to research, analyze the law deeply and write judicial opinions,” she said. It’s her “working history and demonstrated ability to apply the law and write for the judges,” no matter their political affiliation, that makes her the best candidate for the job.

The N.C. Court of Appeals is “an error-correcting court for the trial courts,” Flood explained, adding that on average, the court’s five 3-judge panels preside over as many as 1,200 each year. Of that number, only a very small percentage goes to the N.C. Supreme Court – that means that the appeals court is the final stop for rulings to be upheld or overturned.

Flood said she “uniquely qualified” to serve on the court because of her direct experience at the appellate court level. As a judge, she would look to the text of the law as it applies to each individual case before her.

“The law says what it means and means what it says,” she noted, adding that as a judge, she will apply the law as it is. “There is stability in the law…(and) if I’ve followed the law, the fairness component is there,” Flood said.

She said that, as a judge, she will “treat each person with dignity and respect and will stand firm against judicial activism.

She has been a law professor and also serves as in-house counsel for a private sector business, and she earned a PhD specializing in the law and policy of higher education. It’s this broad-based set of experiences that adds to her skillset that she will bring to the table if elected.

The N.C. Court of Appeals hears all types of cases from the lower courts, including family court, criminal and civil cases and others, and Flood says those cases could be anything from issues with custody issues, neighbor-to-neighbor issues and “just about anything you can think of that happens at the trial court,” she said.

In her current role, Flood said she supervises and works with a team of attorneys – and interns preparing to enter the profession. “Every single day I consider it an honor and joy to be working with (those) whom I’m working with,” she said.

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Old-Fashioned Tent Revival Kicks Off At 6:30 PM Oct. 16 At G.R.A.C.E. Ministries

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The public is invited to an old-fashioned outdoor tent revival that will take place beginning Sunday at G.R.A.C.E Ministries of Henderson.

There will be a special guest speaker each of the eight nights of the revival, which will be held nightly from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. through Oct. 23. According to information from Jamie Elliott, the revival will be for anyone who loves good praise and worship and great preaching, as well as those who are searching to rekindle their love of God.

Bring a lawn chair – seating is limited – or drive in, stay in the comfort of your own vehicles and tune in through an FM transmitter. G.R.A.C.E. Ministries is located at 961 Burr St.

For more information, contact any of the following:

Jamie Elliott 252.204.3617

Bobby West 252.432.7124

Danny Satterwhite – 252.425.3620

City Council Approves Reinstating Retirement Benefits To Employees Affected By State Policy Change

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More than a dozen current city employees – including the city police chief and fire chief, among others – have had their retirement benefits reinstated, thanks to an add-on agenda item at Monday’s Henderson City Council meeting.

Melissa Elliott, council member and chair of the Human Resources Committee, told WIZS News Tuesday that the council had voted to reinstate the benefits for a total of 20 current and former employees who would not have enough years in to qualify for full retirement benefits when the state changed the eligibility requirements.

“We got it back,” Elliott said in a phone interview.

Council member Garry Daeke said the cost will probably be along the lines of $192,000. “That’s money that won’t be available for other things,” Daeke said in a telephone interview Tuesday.”

When this particular group of employees was hired, there was one policy in effect, but that changed in the mid-2000’s.

All new hires understand that they must have 20 years of full-time employment to be eligible for state retirement benefits, including health benefits until they reach age 65 when Medicare kicks in.

Elliott said she is happy that this group of city employees, some of which now are retired, will have access to the benefits that were in place when they were hired.

She added that the nearby municipalities of Oxford, Wake Forest and Louisburg also have voted to reinstate the benefits.

Daeke said when the state changed the policy, local leaders were advised that there simply wasn’t enough money in the coffers to be able to afford it – “there was too much on the books to pay out,” Daeke said in a phone interview.

Although he wasn’t ready to call it a broken promise, Daeke acknowledged that it was a “serious change” for city employees to face when the state policy was amended back in 2009.

“The good news is, it’s been reinstated,” Daeke said.

TownTalk: Veterans Justice Outreach Resources

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As a clinical social worker, Jeremy Brogden has experience in helping to connect clients with various resources in the community that can help provide useful support. For the past eight years or so, as the justice outreach specialist working out of the Veterans Administration facility in Durham, Brogden’s aim has been laser-focused on a specific type of clientele – veterans who find themselves having to maneuver the criminal justice system.

Brogden’s district covers 27 counties – that’s more than a quarter of the entire state of North Carolina. Our local four-county area falls into that district, and Brogden told Phyllis Maynard and John C. Rose on Tuesday a little bit about how the program works.

Frankly, there are usually more resources available to his clients in urban areas than there are in rural areas, but Brogden said he is always looking for ways to connect with veterans who may need the services he provides.

“A large part of what I do is jail outreach…and one that I prioritize,” Brogden said during the recurring TownTalk segment called “Former Active Duty: Still Boots on the Ground.” When veterans find themselves on the wrong side of the law, Brogden said, sometimes they need help connecting with available resources for assistance with issues ranging from housing, mental health or substance abuse treatment.

“This is a service that has a profound impact on veterans who are justice involved,” he said, adding that he may be the only person to meet with a jailed veteran, especially since the onset of the COVID pandemic when visits were restricted. The term “justice involved” refers to those who have not been sentenced for their alleged offense, those recently arrested and those on probation, Brogden explained.

“This is an opportunity to engage with veterans in places where they may be understandably distraught, they may have hit a low point…this is the time to plant seeds (that) lead to treatment and a positive outcome down the road.”

Brogden can recommend treatments or other options for clients, but ultimately the decisions are made by the court. “What we can do it advocate for treatment, and in many instances, we do find success – but not in all cases.”

One program that the Durham VA implemented in 2016 is called “Strength At Home,” a 12-week group therapy program that helps participants find ways to improve relationships and curb instances of domestic violence.

“It’s been a real beneficial program for the veterans I work with,” Brogden said. By learning effective coping and communication skills, participants can address interpersonal violence that may occur in the home – physical, emotional or verbal abuse. A component of the program looks particularly at the impact of trauma and the negative impact that military service can have, leading to conflict.

Harnett County has the state’s first veteran treatment court, Brogden said. This court is staffed with judges who are very familiar with the veteran culture and population, as well as resources and benefits that may be available to those who have served in the military.

“It’s been a very fruitful collaboration,” Brogden said, “and a wonderful resource for veterans I’ve worked with.”

What Is A Veterans Treatment Court? – Justice for Vets

To learn more about the VA’s veterans’ justice outreach program, contact Brogden at 919.452.6612 or Jeremy.brogden@va.gov.

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The Local Skinny! Jobs In Vance 10-11-22

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The H-V Chamber of Commerce and WIZS, Your Community Voice, present Jobs in Vance for October 11, 2022. The Chamber compiles the information, and it is presented here and on the radio. Contact the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce at 438-8414 or email Michele@hendersonvance.org to be included.

Name of Business- Maria Parham Health

Title of Job- Nephrology Receptionist; Full time. The receptionist greets visitors, performs and provides clerical support services, operates multiple-call switchboard console and routes calls to the appropriate person.  Qualifications include a high school diploma or equivalent, associates degree preferred. 1yr of prior hospital or healthcare experience preferred.

How to Apply- Apply online at www.mariaparham.com/careers

 

Name of Business- Vance-Granville Community College

Title of Job- Administrative Assistant for the Deans of Students Services/ Call Center Coordinator; Full time. $31,737-$47,606 a year. Manages the reception area to ensure effective and professional telephone, email, and mail communications both internally and externally. Supervises all part-time call center staff and provides assistance to students. Qualifications include Associates degree and at least 1 yr of work experience at a community college.

How to Apply- Apply on VGCC website at www.vgcc.edu/careers

 

Name of Business- Brewer Cycles

Title of Job- Receptionist; Full time/Part time. Work hours are Tues-Fri 8:30-5:30pm and Sat 8:30-3:00pm. Greet and welcome guests as soon as they arrive, manage front desk, stock supplies, answer phones, and run errands. Qualifications include computer knowledge and 1 yr. of customer service is preferred.

How to Apply- Apply in person at Brewer Cycles located at 420 Warrenton Rd Henderson, NC 27537

 

Name of Business- Kerr Tar Regional Council of Governments

Title of Job- Communications and Administrative Coordinator; Full time. Starting at $43,000/yr. Communication duties include branding, social media, and website development. Administrative duties include purchasing, IT Support, and scheduling. Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree preferred. Sound judgement, initiative, tact, and courtesy are required.

How to Apply- Send your cover letter and resume to Communications & Administrative Coordinator at PO Box 709 Henderson, NC 27536

 

Name of Business- Vance County, NC

Title of Job- Sr. Administrative  Support Specialist; Full time. Preforms accounting and budget monitoring functions for the department including monthly reports and reconciliations. Collects and reviews data. Provides customer service. Qualifications include Associate’s Degree. Bilingual applicants strongly encouraged to apply.

How to Apply- Apply on Indeed or https://nc-vancecounty.civicplushrms.com/CareerPortal/

 

Some of these businesses are present or past advertisers of WIZS.  Being an ad client is not a condition of being listed or broadcast.  This is not a paid ad.

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The Local Skinny! Zoning And Coding In The City Of Henderson

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About 5 p.m. on Monday afternoon, a group of interested business and community were leaders invited to gather at a local downtown restaurant for a quick bite before walking over to the Henderson City Council meeting that began at 6 p.m.

It’s just one way that this group – participants in a business roundtable group created by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce – can show support and encouragement to city staff and elected leaders and to be more visible partners in helping to grow the local economy.

They plan to meet again in a few weeks, in advance of the November City Council meeting.

The most recent business roundtable discussion occurred Friday, when Corey Williams, the city’s director of code compliance and City Manager Terrell Blackmon shared information about code enforcement and the proper way to go about resolving issues around code violations and nuisance abatement.

Brian Boyd spoke with John C. Rose on Monday’s segment of The Local Skinny! and he said Williams did a great job “guiding us through and educatying us on code and nuisance abatement.”

The group also discussed a long history of concern for the local area, as business or industry dried up, with little success in recruiting new businesses.
Boyd said it was a case of “if we don’t do something about ‘this,’ it is going to lead to ‘that,’ and ‘that’ is a bad outcome,” he said.

Over the years, as elections bring different faces to the City Council, Boyd said priorities also changed for Henderson.

“I want to compliment the city and the council members for being so actively engaged right now and for working together on things” that affect the well-being of the city, he said.

The process of enforcing city codes is a legal process, Boyd said. There’s a certain way to go about lodging a complaint or voicing an opinion – it’s “not a text message to a council member or to a city official,” he said.

 

 

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TownTalk: Excitement Builds For Show Shine Shag And Dine!

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Ten blocks in downtown Henderson are going to be transformed into a gigantic combination parking lot and entertainment zone for car enthusiasts this weekend when the Show, Shine, Shag & Dine festival gets the green light for all to come and enjoy.

This is the 20th annual event, and Vance County Tourism Director Pam Hester and a host of others spoke with John C. Rose on Monday’s TownTalk to provide details.

For starters, race cars are coming back to downtown Henderson, and volunteer Danny Stanton said he is very pleased to be able to help with this aspect of the car show.

“I’ve been a drag racer, a car guy, pretty much my whole life,” Stanton said. “We want to get the drag cars back involved,” he said. Drag car owners don’t have to pay a registration fee, he said, since they will not be judged. Just show up Saturday morning at the corner of Rose and Chestnut streets and Stanton and others will help get the cars off their trailers and parked for viewing at Montgomery and Garnett streets.

But the event actually kicks off on Friday morning at 11 a.m. with a cruise-in at Satterwhite Point. Frankie Nobles is catering a barbecue and chicken lunch, with all the trimmings. A second cruise-in will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Charles Bowman’s Southern Classic Cars on Horner Street.

There will be a DJ providing music at each cruise-in, Hester said, adding that there have been up to 150 cars at the lake for the lunchtime event.

Bowman said he’s helped with previous car shows, and he enjoys having folks come in and admire his cars. There are cars for sale there, but that’s not the main reason Bowman participates; rather, he said he wants “to entice people to come to the car show.”

No matter what type of car you prefer, there surely will be something for everyone at this year’s Show, Shine, Shag & Dine. The event is free to the public, and folks can stroll along Garnett Street and beyond to see everything from classic cars to drag racers to Corbitt trucks.

Tom Burleson said the Corbitt Preservation Association will have vehicles on display conveniently located near the Corbitt Museum, which will be open on Saturday for visitors. The winner of the raffle prizes also will be announced during the car show awards, he said.

“We appreciate the exposure that will give us,” he said.

Downtown retailer Gear & Beer is having a Jeep Jam for all those Jeep enthusiasts who want to drive their Jeeps in to the parking lot at the United Way office on South Garnett Street. Jeeps of any type are welcome. And though it’s not a part of the car contest, there will be fun awards given during the Jeep Jam.

McKinley Perkinson is Vance County’s Economic Development Directo and she called this weekend’s event “a huge economic stimulator and driver,” no pun intended.

“An event like this is just amazing for Henderson, especially for our downtown businesses,” Perkinson said.

Registration begins at 7:30 a.m.

Contact Danny Stanton at 252.432.5544 for all race car information and Carol Terwilliger of Gear & Beer for Jeep signup information at gearandbeernc.com

 

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