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Vance Co. Announces Filing Period for Local Elections

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-Information courtesy Faye M. Gill, Director, Vance County Board of Elections

Filing for the October 8, 2019, City of Henderson Election will start on Friday, July 5, 2019, at 12 p.m. and end on Friday, July 19, 2019, at 12 p.m. Offices that will be on the ballot: Mayor, 1st and 2nd Ward seats and 3rd and 4th Ward At-Large seats. The filing fee is $10.

Filing for Town of Kittrell and Town of Middleburg elections will also start Friday, July 5, 2019, at 12 p.m. and end on Friday, July 19, 2019, at 12 p.m. The election date for Kittrell and Middleburg is November 5, 2019.

Offices that will be on the ballot for Kittrell: Mayor and three town commissioners. Offices that will be on the ballot for Middleburg: Mayor and three town council members. The filing fee is $5.

The Vance County Board of Elections office will not close for lunch during the filing period. With questions, please contact the Board of Elections office at (252) 492-3730.

Vance Co. Schools Educators Participate in Summer Summit

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

More than 75 educators with Vance County Schools joined together to participate in the school system’s Summer Summit held on June 21, 2019, at Zeb Vance Elementary School.

Curriculum specialists and school administrators led most of the at least dozen breakout sessions or workshops provided at the summit. The sessions were designed to provide educators with valuable, up-to-date information and strategies they can use in the classroom and throughout the schools to provide quality educational instruction to students. Participating teachers and others received education training credits for attending the sessions.

The Summer Summit offered opportunities for educators in the school system’s 15 schools to collaborate and network with their peers.

Breakout sessions or workshops focused on areas including blended learning; building math fluency; student motivation; teaching students with attention deficit disorder; understanding poverty; student motivation; whole group instruction; and working with students with special needs.

The Summer Summit proved to be an ideal way for key educators to receive additional professional development at the beginning of their summer break before taking time to relax and begin preparing for the 2019-2020 school year.

Destiny Ross, a technology instruction curriculum specialist with Vance County Schools, leads a session with local educators involving blended learning to use strategies for the effective use of different types of technology to support and enhance classroom instruction. (VCS photo)

Dr. Donna Blakebrough, a secondary curriculum specialist with Vance County Schools, stands at right as she discusses strategies for motivating students in the classroom during a workshop session. (VCS photo)

News 06/25/19

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Town Talk: Kerr Lake Fireworks; Dolly Parton Imagination Library 06/24/19

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On Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program, Vance County Tourism Development Authority’s Pam Hester and Norman Dickerson provided details regarding the 2019 Independence Day Celebration at Kerr Lake.

Scheduled for Saturday, July 6, the celebration will feature new, kid-friendly activities and events. Fireworks will begin at 9:15 p.m.

Also on Town Talk, Garry Daeke, development coordinator for Franklin-Granville-Vance (FGV) Smart Start, discussed local success with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.

Founded by singer and entertainer Dolly Parton’s Dollywood Foundation, the Imagination Library offers youth one free book a month – via mail – from birth through age five.

To hear Monday’s Town Talk in its entirety, including additional details on the Independence Day celebration and ways to enroll your child in the free Imagination Library program, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.

Vance Co. Schools’ Student Spotlight Winners Tour Washington, D.C.

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Twelve of the 16 Student Spotlight award winners from Vance County schools this school year participated in a  trip to Washington, D.C., on June 20.

The trip was part of their award recognition. The award recipients were each honored with surprise visits to the classrooms in their respective schools during the year. In those surprise visits, they were presented with several gifts. Later, all of the Student Spotlight winners were recognized during Vance County Board of Education meetings and were presented with framed certificates commemorating their awards.

During the trip to our nation’s capital, they visited with U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield in his offices and U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis in the U.S. Capitol. Both Butterfield and Tillis are from North Carolina and represent Vance County in the U.S. Congress. The students, who were accompanied on the trip by their parents and some younger siblings, also visited several of the Smithsonian Institution Museums located along the National Mall. Everyone also had special guided tours of the U.S. Capitol building.

The students’ trip was made possible by sponsors of the award program including the Vance County Public School Foundation. Other major sponsors of the Student Spotlight program are The Daily Dispatch, Prim Residential Properties and Rentals, Mako Medical Laboratories, Maria Parham Health and Vance County Schools.

Student Spotlight award winners from Vance County Schools are shown with U.S. Rep. G.K. Butterfield outside his office in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington, D.C. (VCS photo)

U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis stands in front of the Student Spotlight award winners in the U.S. Capitol as he visited with them during their trip to Washington, D.C. (VCS photo)

West End Baptist

West End Community Watch Hears From Planning Director on Required Permits

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-Notes courtesy Claire Catherwood, West End Community Watch

West End Community Watch met on Tuesday, June 18, 2019.  The speaker was Sam Hobgood, director of Planning and Development.

Hobgood explained that the planning and development end of his job involves property outside the City of Henderson.  However, his office is responsible for issuing permits and doing inspections of all new construction, additions, repairs, etc. in the entire county, with Henderson included.

Any change in the footprint of current structures requires a zoning permit, as well as building permits. Any construction costing over $15,000 requires a permit.

Those in attendance were surprised at the work which requires permits. Homeowners may perform their own electrical work if they own the land and will personally occupy it. Otherwise, licensed electricians must be hired. Reputable contractors will handle all aspects of the permits and will include the $55 fee in their bills. Homeowners should receive a copy of the permit, if they so request.

The addition of a microwave, ice-maker, toilet, gas heater, gas fireplace insert, etc. in a place where the item had not been previously requires a permit. Any change to the type of light fixture being installed requires a permit. Any new gas appliance, gas heater, air conditioning system, etc. requires a permit. Running a new electrical line to an existing outbuilding will, also, require a permit.

The addition of a detached carport which is larger that 12-feet in any measurement (height, width or length) requires a permit. Two sides of a carport may be enclosed, but not three because it is then considered to be a garage and would require a permit.  A portable carport not exceeding 400 square feet with a roof no higher than 12-feet does not require a permit.

A homeowner planning to do projects such as those mentioned should first call Planning and Development (252) 738-2080 to check about the legal requirements. Alternately, a licensed contractor should be called to handle the project. The contractor will then handle all necessary permits.

Henderson Vance Recreation & Parks

Aycock Rec. Center to Offer Fast-Track Afternoon Swim Lessons

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-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center

Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks will offer afternoon/evening fast-track swim lessons at the Aycock Recreation Center for youth ages 3 – 13 years old. Lessons will be held on July 8, 10, 15, 17, 22 & 24.

The fee for the series of six lessons is $30. Registration forms and fees are due by Friday, July 5.

For additional information, including class times by age, please see the posted flyer below.

Contact:

Lauren Newlin, Aquatics Program Supervisor

lnewlin@ci.henderson.nc.us ~ (252) 438-3160

News 06/24/19

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VGCC Child Care Center Awarded Five Stars

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The state of North Carolina has once again awarded a five-star license — the highest possible rating — to the Child Care Center at Vance-Granville Community College’s Main Campus.

State evaluations of child care programs are conducted once every three years, explained Melanie Copeland, the manager of the VGCC center. “On a scale of one to 15 points, our program received 14 total points in the catergory ‘kids entertainment‘, earning the renewal of our five-star status,” Copeland said. “The five-star rating demonstrates that we provide exceptionally high-quality care and education.”

Above: The staff of the Vance-Granville Community College Child Care Center (on the college’s Main Campus) proudly display the certificate indicating the center’s renewed five-star license. They include, seated, from left, Pam Harris, Melanie Copeland and Kathy Hughes; and standing, from left, Hilda Cordell, Anita Fuller, and Rhonda Pegram. (VGCC Photo)

Since the North Carolina Division of Child Development and Early Education began the current system of star rated licenses for child care centers in 2000, the center on VGCC’s Main Campus has earned the five-star rating in seven consecutive evaluations.

As part of the evaluation process, the Child Care Center was visited by fire and sanitarian inspectors, a state licensing consultant and two state-appointed evaluators. They rated the center in two categories – staff education standards and program standards. The center received a perfect score of 7 points in the area of staff education, 6 points for program standards, and a bonus point because all of its teachers have at least associate’s degrees in early childhood education.

“The strength of our child care center is our staff! The dedication they show day in and day out is what made our success possible. They are the most devoted group of ladies I have ever met. I knew when my two boys were here that this was a remarkable center. I am blessed to work side by side this group every day!” Copeland said.

Copeland pointed out that not only does the center provide outstanding child care, but it also affords an excellent environment for students in Vance-Granville’s Early Childhood Education program to gain practical training.

The VGCC Child Care Center is licensed to accommodate 38 children, toddler to four years old. For more information, parents can call Melanie Copeland at (252) 738-3220.

Vance Co. Animal Services Recipient of Spay/Neuter Grant

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-Press Release, Vance County Animal Services

Vance County Animal Services is pleased to announce that they are the recipient of $1,667.50 of a total $10,005 Spay/Neuter Grant from Community Partnership for Pets though the Bissell Pet Foundation. The total grant has been divided between six rural NC Counties.

This grant will be used for:

Spay/Neuter for animals belonging to citizens in the community that do not qualify for the state funded spay/neuter program.

These funds will help citizens in our community get their personal pets spayed/neutered to reduce the number of unwanted animals being born in the community. This will also reduce the number of animal intakes at the Vance County Animal Shelter.

Frankie Nobles, Chief of Vance County Animal Services