Police Issue Phone Scam Public Notice

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Scammers are using the threat of arrest warrants to pressure people into forking over hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars. Today the Henderson Police Department was contacted by a citizen who stated that she was threaten that if she didn’t pay $6,000 to the IRS that she would be arrested. The call came from a Texas number.

The caller wanted the potential victim’s debit card information. She refused and hung up the phone. The caller called back manipulating caller ID to make the number appear to come from the Henderson Police Department. The caller told the potential victim that he had obtained a warrant for the unpaid debt and wanted to know where she was so he could arrest her or she could still pay the money to avoid arrest. The potential victim told the caller that she was at the Police Department and to come get her.

The callers convince people to give their debit or credit card numbers out or make the payments by wiring it through Western Union or buying a prepaid credit card like Green Dot and registering it online.

Citizens are reminders to NEVER give out card numbers to anyone and to never purchase debit cards to send to anyone unless you are sending it as gift to someone you know. The most important thing to remember is that in North Carolina it is illegal for law enforcement officers to accept money to prevent an arrest or to squash a warrant.

Authority: Chief M.W. Barrow

Press Release: April 12, 2017

News 04/13/17

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2017 Sales Season Begins April 22

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Vance County Regional Farmers Market 2017 Sales Season Begins April 22

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market will begin its 2017 sales season Saturday, April 22.  Market Manager Tracy Madigan says, “The Spring Fling Market will be open to the public from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.  It will feature numerous craft vendors, bedding plants for the garden including vegetables, herbs, flowers, and shrubs and locally grown spring produce.

“There will also be baked goods, canned goods and pasture raised beef for sale.  Knowledgeable farmers and nursery vendors will be on hand to answer spring and summer planting and growing questions.”

The Farmers Market will be open Saturdays from 7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. April 29 – May 27, then Wednesdays and Saturdays 7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.beginning May 31.  Madigan says, “In addition to fresh local produce and products, the market will feature special events and gardening classes throughout the 2017 season.”

For more information about the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, visit online at vancecounty.org, follow on Facebook, or Twitter.  Persons interested in selling at the VCRFM may contact Tracy Madigan, 252-598-0814 or Paul McKenzie at 252-438-8188.

The VCRFM is located at 210 Soutpark Dr., Henderson, NC, off Beckford Dr. behind DaVita Dialysis Center.

News 04/12/17

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Southern Vance Symphonic Band rated “Excellent”

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Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

April 11, 2017

The Southern Vance High School Symphonic Band earned an “Excellent” rating during competition at the Music Performance Adjudication (MPA) for North Carolina in late March.

The band attended the stringent high school band judging process at Apex Friendship School in Apex.

This is the first time a band from Vance County has earned an “Excellent” rating in the MPA. The rating is the second highest possible rating, behind the “Superior” rating.

The Southern Vance bands are under the direction of Michael Lewis.

Longtime Local Leader David Averette Named Principal of FMS

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Louisburg, N. C. —  As school officials prepare for the 2017-18 school year, the local board of education named David Averette Principal of Franklinton Middle School at its regular meeting on Monday evening. Averette, who has served as Assistant Principal of Franklinton High School since 2007, says he’s excited for the opportunity to build on the growth that Franklinton Middle School has seen in the last few years.
“I hope to bring a level of confidence that Franklinton Middle School is a tremendous ship and we just need to reset the sail, enhance what already is working and not change for the sake of it,” he says adding “We’re going to address the culture of the school to build trust with our community and the students will be reminded that we are successful and we can continue to be successful.”

Averette has invested his life in Franklin County and his family is deeply vested in public education in this community. Averette’s wife, Dottie, will be retiring this year after spending her career teaching in Franklin County Schools. Their children, Whitney and Kaitlyn, have also dedicated their careers to teaching in Franklin County Schools.

“It’s great to see our children working in education,” says Averette, adding that both he and Dottie are proud to see their careers have had a positive impact on their own children’s lives and careers.

Before his current role as Assistant Principal at Franklinton High School, Averette worked as an AP at Louisburg Elementary School and Cedar Creek Middle School. However, he started his near 20-year education career in Franklin County Schools as an Exceptional Children’s Teacher at Cedar Creek Middle School.

Averette holds a Master’s of School Administration and a Bachelor’s of Science in Business Administration from North Carolina State University. He received his teaching certification from North Carolina Central University. In addition to his work as a school leader, Averette is the Pastor of Franklinton Baptist Church and holds a Bachelor’s of Arts in Religion and Christian Ministries from Campbell University and an Associate’s Degree in Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.

As a leader characterized by his service to the community, Averette is looking forward to leading Franklinton Middle School and says this is the right opportunity for him. “We’re in the business of making people’s lives better – Franklinton Middle School is a good option for our students,” he says adding “Come see what it feels like.”

Retirements and Transfers Confirmed
On Monday evening, the board also approved the retirement of Youngsville Elementary School Principal Marylin Newkirk. Newkirk stepped down earlier this month as students at the year-round school tracked-out. Retired FCS administrator Jewel Eason began as Interim-Principal of the school on April 3 after working in an administrative support role at YES that began in March.

Additionally, the board confirmed the transfer of Franklinton Elementary School Principal Dr. Claire King to Laurel Mill Elementary School, where she will serve as an Assistant Principal beginning in August 2017. Both administrative vacancies have been posted on the district website.

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Patrick Glace

Director of Communications

Franklin County Schools

Northern Vance High School Achieves AdvancED Accreditation

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Vance County Schools

For Immediate Release

April 11, 2017

Northern Vance High School administrators, staff and students completed two thorough days of examination by a team of educators from the AdvancED accreditation agency and received the prestigious accreditation!

The five-year accreditation was granted after an external review team met with Principal Andrew Markoch and his staff over the two-day review and visited classrooms throughout the school during their review time.

The AdvancED team looked at governance, facilities, academic programs and outlying programs at the school before awarding the accreditation.

They looked closely at teaching and learning impact, leadership capacity and resource utilization.

The team rated Northern Vance highly in equitable learning environment, high expectations environment, supportive learning environment, active learning environment, progress monitoring and feedback environment, well-managed learning environment and digital learning environment.

The team’s conclusions for the Index of Education Quality focused on: the impact of teaching and learning on student performance; the capacity of leadership to guide and ensure effectiveness in carrying out the strategic direction of the institution; the use as a tool for formative analysis and continuous improvement; and the connection for the conditions, processes and practices to evidence including student performance.

News 04/11/17

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Henderson Man Sentenced for Possession of a Firearm by a Felon

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NEW BERN – The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina announced that in federal court on April 5, 2017, United States District Judge Louise W. Flanagan sentenced WILLIAM LACHLIAN ORMOND, III, 29, of Henderson, NC to 57 months of imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.

ORMOND was named in an Indictment filed on March 22, 2016 and charged with Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. On June 16, 2016, ORMOND pled guilty to that charge.

On October 29, 2015, an officer with the Henderson Police Department in Henderson encountered ORMOND walking down the street, and knew him to have outstanding warrants for his arrest. The officer suspected that ORMOND was armed due to the way he was holding his waistband, and attempted to engage ORMOND in conversation. ORMOND attempted to flee on foot and was captured by the officer. Upon taking the defendant into custody, the officer located a 9mm handgun with a large capacity magazine on the defendant. The handgun was loaded with 22 rounds of ammunition.

This case was part of the Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN) initiative which encourages federal, state, and local agencies to cooperate in a unified “team effort” against gun crime, targeting repeat offenders who continually plague their communities.

The Henderson Police Department, North Carolina Alcohol Law Enforcement, North Carolina State Crime Lab, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) conducted the criminal investigation of this case. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case and Assistant United States Attorney Peggah Wilson handled the sentencing hearing.

Vance-Granville Community Band presents free spring concert on May 1st at McGregor Hall

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The Vance-Granville Community Band will hold its annual spring concert on Monday, May 1, at 7:30 p.m. at McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center in historic downtown Henderson. Admission is free of charge.

This will be the second time that the Community Band has held a concert at the 1,000-seat venue, located at 201 Breckenridge Street in Henderson.

The concert is set to feature some classics of band literature, including the original transcription of the famous overture to “The Barber of Seville” by Rossini; two classic Sousa marches, “Hands Across the Sea” and “The Black Horse Troop“; as well as two additional traditional marches, “Free Spirit” and the 1911 “Ringling Brothers Grand Entry March.”

According to Community Band director Brian D. Miller, “bands should always play the classics of literature. No concert is complete without several marches, and Sousa wrote marches better than anybody else! Marches are the all-time greatest music written for band, and we have certainly had a lot of fun learning these.”

Miller noted that it is of local interest that John Philip Sousa himself vacationed in Henderson in 1920. He went hunting with the mayor of Henderson and spent the night at the mayor’s home while here.

The band will also perform a transcription of music from the 1949 Broadway musical, “South Pacific.” Other selections include the “Finale” from Dvorak’s Ninth Symphony and an entr’acte from the seldom-heard Romantic-era opera, “King Manfred,” which is “a beautiful composition,” according to Miller.

The band will feature its star tuba player, Justin Bare, on a tuba solo with band accompaniment entitled “The Grumbly Old Bear,” written by Julius Fucik, better known for his popular circus march, “Entry of the Gladiators.” Finally, for lighter fare, the band will pay tribute to the Beach Boys and the Eagles with medleys of those groups’ greatest hits.

“It’s a concert for everybody,” quipped Miller. “We want everybody to come and appreciate the work of these musicians. The ensemble is truly representative of our four-county service area. Nothing beats an old-fashioned band concert!”

Miller retired as band director at Louisburg High School and now teaches for VGCC and Crosscreek Charter School.

The Community Band, which is sponsored by the VGCC Division of Arts and Sciences, includes people of all ages, from all walks of life, and from throughout the region. No auditions are required. Rehearsals are held on Monday evenings from 7-9 p.m. at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center, on the Main Campus in Henderson, at Exit 209 on Interstate 85 (Poplar Creek Road). For more information, contact Brian Miller at (919) 496-5877 or at bmiller9302@vgcc.edu or Betsy Henderson at hendersonb@vgcc.edu.

–VGCC–