20K In Grants From United Way of Vance County To Four Local Nonprofits

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

— press release courtesy United Way of Vance County by Terri Hedrick

The United Way of Vance County presented grant checks totaling $20,000 today (Monday) to four local nonprofit organizations to help needy families and individuals in Vance and Warren counties with assistance due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The grant funding was made possible with a grant from United Way Worldwide to the local United Way unit.

Each of the four organizations received a grant of $5,000.

The organizations receiving the grants include: ACTS of Vance County Inc., Life Line Outreach, Inc., Community Partners of Hope, Inc., and Alliance Rehabilitative Care Inc.

ACTS of Vance County will use the grant funding to provide meals on weekdays to homeless citizens and those who are homebound. Life Line Outreach will continue to provide services with the grant funds to abused and homeless women and children in their facility and to provide food boxes for needy families. Community Partners of Hope will utilize the funds to support operations of the organization’s shelter for homeless men and Alliance Rehabilitative Care will use the additional funds for services provided at the local Addiction Recovery Center for Men.


Gwen Williams, president of the United Way of Vance County, center in white mask, and Tommy Haithcock, first vice president of the United Way of Vance County, center in black mask, presented checks for $5,000 each to four local nonprofit organizations to meet the basic needs of disadvantaged people in Vance and Warren counties. Those accepting the checks for their organizations included, from left on the back row, Rev. Joseph Ratliff of Community Partners of Hope, Lee Anne Peoples of ACTS of Vance County, Jeanne Harrison of Alliance Rehabilitative Care, and Steve and Lynda Dalton of Life Line Outreach. Donna Stearns, a member of the United Way of Vance County Board of Directors, standing at far left on the front row, also joined the presentation.

Accepting the grant funding for each of the organizations were Lee Anne Peoples of ACTS of Vance County; Steve and Lynda Dalton of Life Line Outreach; the Rev. Joseph Ratliff of Community Partners of Hope; and Jeanne Harrison of Alliance Rehabilitative Care.

“Our United Way Board of Directors is thrilled to be able to provide these much needed grant funds to these outstanding nonprofit organizations in our community,” said Gwen Williams, board president. “We know the needs of our community are great right now as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic and we are confident all four organizations will use the funds to help those most in need.”

United Way of Vance County allocated over $6,000 in grants for pandemic relief in the spring. Those funds went to ACTS of Vance County and Life Line Outreach, both located in Henderson, and the Loaves & Fishes Ministry in Warrenton, to help with food insecurities of families in Vance and Warren counties.

Williams noted that the local United Way will continue to work to secure funds from various sources, including donations from industries, businesses and individuals, to support programs that assist disadvantaged families in its coverage area of Vance and Warren counties.

Anyone interested in making a donation may do so by sending it to United Way of Vance County, P.O. Box 1352, Henderson, N.C. 27536 or through the organization’s website at unitedwayvance.org.

Local News Audio

Noon News 12-21-20 EMS Strike Team; BoE Board Members; VCHS Football

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Stories include: Vance Co. EMS requests strike team to help with COVID19; Vance Co. Board of Education sees three re-elected and sworn in; Vance Co. High School football coach says team will be ready in February.

For full details and audio click play…

 

Vance County Courthouse

Criminal District Court Will Resume Dec. 29, 2020

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The Hon. Henry L. Gupton, clerk of court in Vance County, has informed WIZS News that criminal district court will resume just after Christmas.

Gupton said, “I received a memorandum from our Chief District Court Judge John Davis on December 18th regarding the resumption of our District Courts schedule.

“As of Tuesday, December 29, 2020 our regular scheduled Criminal District Court Sessions will resume and we will continue to have Small Claims Court.

“However, we will not be conducting Civil District Court Sessions.”

Gupton said he would notify the public when all sessions resume.

He said, “This decision has been made after consultation with our County Health Director Lisa M. Harrison.  We will continue to operate under our existing COVID-19 protocols.”

(This news article was posted December 21, 2020 at 12:15 p.m.)

Vance County Schools Logo

Vance County School Board Members Take Oath of Office; Chair and Vice Chair Selected

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— press release courtesy of Vance County Schools, Public Information Officer Aarika Sandlin

Three Vance County Schools Board of Education members were recently re-elected to represent their districts: Mr. Edward B. Wilson, Mrs. Dorothy W. Gooche and Mrs. Linda S. Cobb. They each took their Oath of Office at the December 14, 2020 Board of Education meeting before Judge Caroline Burnette.

Mrs. Dorothy W. Gooche represents District 3 and has served on the Vance County Board of Education since November 2010. A Vance-Granville Community College retiree, Mrs. Gooche continues devoting herself to education in Vance County, sharing “I am honored to be re-elected to the Vance County Board of Education. Serving our students these past 10 years has been rewarding. I am constantly reminded of my role to provide ideas and recommendations that help meet the educational and developmental needs of all students, while also supporting the excellent faculty and staff that have a direct influence in the life of each student. I look forward to the continued work with the board, our schools, parents and community.”

Mr. Edward B. Wilson represents District 4 and has served on the Vance County Board of Education since November 2012. A retired Vance County Schools educator, Mr. Wilson continues to be dedicated to serving, sharing that “at first, I may have viewed it as a civic responsibility but now I view it as an opportunity to learn from the very best and most highly qualified school professionals in the state.”

Mrs. Linda S. Cobb represents District 5 and was first appointed to the Vance County Board of Education in September 2019. Retired from the Division of Social Services through the Department of Health and Human Services, Mrs. Cobb continues her commitment to serving our community. She shared “I am grateful to continue my service on the Board of Education, having the opportunity to represent our community and our students – this brings joy to me.”

The board also voted in a new chair and vice chair at the meeting. Mrs. Linda S. Cobb (District 5) will serve as the School Board Chair and Mrs. Margaret A. Ellis (District 6) as Vice-Chair.

Vance Co EMS Lifeline Award

Vance County EMS Has Itself Reached Out For Help

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Vance County Management, on behalf of the Vance County EMS Department, has reached out to the state to ask for a strike team. The problem is positive COVID cases.

Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen told WIZS News, “We are working through a number of positive COVID cases in our EMS department as is the case in the general public and as a result additional EMS employees have been put on quarantine and sick leave reducing the number of available EMTs and Paramedics. We are working with our in-county first responders and neighboring counties to fill in any gaps…” He said the purpose of reaching out was “to make arrangements from across the state should we need additional assistance down the line.”

Vance County has already heard back from agencies from neighboring counties and beyond, and McMillen said, “…We are doing our best to work through the situation. We have also had a number of off duty firefighters who are willing to step up and assist as well. I wouldn’t say we are at crisis level, but we are doing what we need to stay ahead of it as best we can and to get our folks who are working long hours some relief.”

Vance Co EMS Lifeline Award

Vance County EMS was recently selected as a 2020 Mission Lifeline Award recipient by the American Heart Association. On Wednesday, Sept 23, 2020, County Manager Jordan McMillen and Chairman of the Board Gordon Wilder presented Paramedic Christopher Rigg with a certificate of appreciation for his role in coordinating the application process. The County also presented Director Javier Plummer and the entire department with a certificate in recognition of their accomplishments leading to this award. McMillen said the County appreciates all public safety workers and first responders and congratulates Vance EMS on this accomplishment.

Firefighters, EMTs, paramedics, deputies, police and other forms of law enforcement and emergency personal rush into burning buildings, run into homes, reach into private vehicles and more. Sometimes it’s even known these homes, buildings and vehicles have COVID positive people and patients inside. McMillen said, “While we are taking all of the precautions with PPE and other means as we can, it is inevitable that it reaches our public safety staff as well.”

These working and giving heroes are local as well as far and wide and are just the type of people who come together to serve here, there and where ever there is need.

Vance County is working with Granville Vance Public Health and “following all of their guidance,” McMillen said.

VGCC forms new partnership with UNC Wilmington

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–press release courtesy of VGCC

Vance-Granville Community College continues to show its commitment to building partnerships that provide meaningful pathways for students seeking to transfer to a four-year university. Recently, VGCC solidified a partnership with the University of North Carolina at Wilmington (UNCW). The UNCW & VGCC “Pathways to Excellence” program will provide transfer students from the community college with guaranteed admission to UNCW.

VGCC is one of a host of community colleges from various regions across the state to sign on as a part of the Pathways to Excellence program with UNCW due to the quality of education that transfer students will receive at the institution. VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais and UNCW Chancellor Dr. Jose V. Sartarelli inked the partnership agreement, and expressed enthusiasm about how it will benefit students.

“The co-admission agreement between VGCC and UNCW is a fine example of innovation and collaboration,” said Dr. Desmarais, president of the community college. “We look forward to helping our Vanguards achieve their academic and career goals by continuing their education as UNCW Seahawks.”

Pathways to Excellence guarantees admission to UNCW for students completing an Associate in Arts or Associate in Science with a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of at least 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) in transferable, college-level coursework from VGCC. As a part of the agreement, VGCC students will have access to a Transfer Student Success Coordinator that will meet with students at Vance-Granville throughout each semester. Students will have the benefit of working with their VGCC advisor and the Transfer Student Success Coordinator from UNCW. VGCC students will have the opportunity to attend an open house event, as well as an application event in the spring on the community college campus, and will receive a university application fee waiver as a transfer student.

“We are elated to partner with UNCW on the Pathways to Excellence program,” said Dr. Levy Brown, VGCC’s vice president of learning, student engagement and success. “This is another example of our dedicated team seeking opportunities to provide multiple pathways to success for students. The goal is for our transfer students to receive an excellent experience at VGCC and move on to the University of their Choice. It is wonderful that this UNCW program is now an option for students in our communities!”

If you or someone you know is interested in learning more about this guaranteed admission partnership between VGCC and UNCW, please call VGCC at (252) 738-3234. If you are interested in enrolling at VGCC, please apply at www.vgcc.edu or call (252) 738-3234.

–vgcc–

(VGCC is a paying advertising client of WIZS and WIZS.com.  This is not a paid ad.)

NCDOT

S-Line Rail Corridor Goes Straight Through Henderson

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The S-Line rail corridor goes straight through downtown Henderson.  The future of the route from Petersburg, Virginia down to the Virginia line and then the NC Department of Transportation’s portion from Virginia to South Carolina could spawn additional economic development for the local Henderson area.

Being a mainline portion of the Southeast Corridor and possibly a higher speed line would help too.

For now, the news is the fact that NCDOT has been awarded a grant for development planning near passenger rail stations.

Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington is quoted in a press release from NCDOT, and he said, “Our community was founded on rail traffic in 1841. It is only natural that our resurgence is based on this same driving force for economic development, connecting us to greater opportunities. The regional cooperation and resulting benefit this project represents is government at its best.”

Julie White, NCDOT’s deputy secretary for Multimodal Transportation said in the press release: “We’re grateful to be working with cities and towns that understand how passenger rail service can spur economic development.  This as a great opportunity to use passenger rail to better connect rural and urban communities. It should serve as a model for future projects.”

In our area, Henderson and Franklinton contributed the necessary matching funds for the grant.

Franklinton Mayor Art Wright is quoted in the press release saying, “The Town of Franklinton is looking forward to working with our neighbors along the S-line to develop a community that will support passenger rail. This funding will promote Franklinton’s rich rail history and expand downtown.”

The grant money can be used to develop plans for areas around rail stations.

In Henderson, that plan will need to look at plans for the actual rail station itself.  The only actual passenger station along the line is long gone, and the metal and plexiglass hut that sat at the corner of Williams and Montgomery Streets downtown was removed after the final AMTRAK operated “Silver Star” departed for the final time in the mid 1980s.

The bigger picture is all these smaller pieces are adding up. This grant now, and the next press release about another grant later, and when the news of hiring a new Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission director comes, and with the recent hiring of a new Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission director, and downtown Main Street status in Henderson, and an expanded industrial park, and other growth and development, it’s all chipping away at the problem and putting down new roads to success.

If you’d like to hear more about the S-Line, listen back to TownTalk from October 28, 2020 and NCDOT guest Jason Orthner, Rail Division Director.

 

— NCDOT Press Release

NCDOT Awarded Grant for Development Planning Near Passenger Rail Stations

​Federal funding will help communities plan for development on S-Line corridor

Raleigh — The Federal Transit Authority has awarded the N.C. Department of Transportation’s Integrated Mobility Division a $900,000 grant to help Triangle area communities create plans for development along the S-Line rail corridor.

The S-Line corridor is a passenger rail line that starts at the Virginia border, runs through Raleigh, and ends at the South Carolina state line.

“We’re grateful to be working with cities and towns that understand how passenger rail service can spur economic development,” said Julie White, NCDOT’s deputy secretary for Multimodal Transportation. “This as a great opportunity to use passenger rail to better connect rural and urban communities. It should serve as a model for future projects.”

The following towns contributed matching funds for the grant: Apex, Franklinton, Henderson, Raleigh, Sanford and Wake Forest. The towns will use the grant money to develop plans for the areas around the rail stations. The plans will explore how the rail stations will bolster economic development in their town centers and enable these communities to plan for connections to bus service, micro transit, bicycle paths and greenways.

Mayors of the towns that contributed matching funds to the grant provided the following comments.

Apex Mayor Jacques K. Gilbert said:
“The Town of Apex is thrilled to join the North Carolina Department of Transportation and our regional partners in this forward-thinking effort to plan for the future of passenger rail along the S-Line corridor. Working together, we will realize the substantial economic and mobility benefits of passenger rail for our communities.”

Franklinton Mayor Art Wright said:
“The Town of Franklinton is looking forward to working with our neighbors along the S-line to develop a community that will support passenger rail. This funding will promote Franklinton’s rich rail history and expand downtown.”

Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington said:
“Our community was founded on rail traffic in 1841. It is only natural that our resurgence is based on this same driving force for economic development, connecting us to greater opportunities. The regional cooperation and resulting benefit this project represents is government at its best.”

Raleigh Mayor Mary-Ann Baldwin said:
“This grant is crucial to moving the S-Line project ahead and restoring passenger rail service between Raleigh and Richmond. In the long-term, the S-Line will improve mobility and reduce congestion, not only in Raleigh, but across the region. I am thrilled to continue working with everyone involved in this project, and deeply appreciate FTA’s support.”

Sanford Mayor Chet Mann said:
“Sanford is thrilled with the prospect of having passenger rail on the S-Line. We have a rich train history as we were founded at the rail crossing in 1874 in what is now our Depot Park. We see multimodal transportation as a key component to any growing community. This project will usher in a new wave of economic development around an area in our town already designated for revitalization. We are grateful to be partnering with the NCDOT and all the other stakeholders involved in this project and we are beyond excited at watching what happens as this project evolves.”

Wake Forest Mayor Vivian A. Jones said:
“We’ve been working on bringing passenger rail to Wake Forest for quite a while. We recognize there’s a strong demand out there, so we are excited about this opportunity and are looking forward to getting it done.”

Local Vance County Covid-19 Update 12-17-20

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For the seven day period December 10 to December 16 in Vance County, there were a total of 182 positive test results for Covid-19. For the same time period, 96 people in Vance County were released from isolation.

Those figures equal a net increase of 86 in a week or about 12 people per day more.

Two deaths occurred December 10 to December 16 in Vance County attributed to Covid-19, and the total daily count of those receiving inpatient care decreased by one, which lowered the figure to 22.

Of the 704 active cases in Vance County on December 16, a total of 694 cases were in the community at large and 10 were divided six to four at two nursing facilities.

This information was compiled by WIZS based on data from Granville Vance Public Health.

H-V Chamber Logo

Henderson Vance Chamber Informs Businesses About Covid

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Covid news for member businesses is out from the Henderson Vance Chamber of Commerce and President Michelle Burgess.

An email this week from Burgess to Chamber members asks for area businesses to “Help Keep Our Economy Open!”

Burgess wrote:

The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce has been alerted to the surging COVID-19 cases here in the county.  Because the number of COVID cases doubled in Vance County since December 1st, Vance County has been added to a list of the state’s Top 10 Priority Counties to work with to try and curb the spread of transmissions.  Vance County remains in the Red: Critical Community Spread, on the statewide COVID-19 Alert System which uses a combination of three metrics: case rate, the percent of tests that are positive, and hospital impact within the county.  There is concern that if the number of cases continues to climb, we may be faced with our economy having to close down again.

Our Chamber has been asked to help get out key COVID information to our local employers.  Your immediate help is needed to encourage your employees and their families to stay safe during the holiday season and in the upcoming winter months by avoiding travel and gatherings with people they don’t live with. If they must travel or gather, encourage getting tested ahead of time, wearing a mask all the time, and keeping any gatherings small and outdoors. In a statement this week, Gary Salamido, president and CEO of the NC Chamber, encouraged NC employers to work together to slow the spread of COVID-19 “North Carolina employers know how to keep people safe and their success relies on it. If all North Carolinians work together, we can protect lives and livelihoods.”

Detailed guidance for businesses is available at https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/guidance#businesses (open hyperlink for additional information).  Granville-Vance Public Health is available to provide technical assistance and help people access testing and PPE if needed.  They also provide free testing at their Henderson facility on Tuesday and Thursday, and at their Oxford location on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.  Call ahead to schedule an appointment.  Their phone number is (919) 693-2141.

Gang Free

Christmas Toy Drive at Gang Free, Inc.

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Gang Free, Inc. here in Henderson will be giving toys to over 600 children for Christmas.

At the present time, the organization still needs about 100 to 120 more toys to match with the number of youngsters already signed up.

Gang Free founder Melissa Elliott said, “Gang Free has over 600 children for Christmas. Toys For Tots provided us with 491 toys. Can you please ask people to stop by Gang Free and drop off a toy?”

Located at 940 County Home Road in Henderson and online at gangfreeinc.org, you can drop off toys Monday through Friday 9am to 6pm or call 252-598-0067 to make arrangements. Your help would be greatly appreciated.