Text or Email closings or announcements to 252-432-0774 or johncharles@wizs.com or call 252-492-3001
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Update 4:45 p.m. Monday
City of Henderson Offices delayed until 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10
City of Oxford Offices delayed until 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10
Community Workforce Solutions of Henderson closed on Tuesday, January 10
Crosscreek Charter School closed on Tuesday, January 10
Crossroads Christian School closed on Tuesday, January 10
Davita Dialysis of Louisburg delayed until 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10
Davita Dialysis of Vance County delayed 3 hours on Tuesday, January 10
Durham Public Schools closed on Tuesday, January 10
Falls Lake Academy closed on Tuesday, January 10
Families Living Violence Free in Oxford, NC office will be closed today, Monday January 9, 2017. If you are in immediate danger, please call 911. If you need help, please call our 24/7 crisis line 919-693-5700.
Franklin County District Court closed on Tuesday, January 10
Franklin County Government Offices closed on Tuesday, January 10
Franklin County Superior Court closed on Tuesday, January 10
Franklin County Government Offices closed on Tuesday, January 10
Franklin County Schools closed on Tuesday, January 10
Granville County Schools closed on Tuesday, January 10
Henderson Collegiate closed on Tuesday, January 10
Henderson Family YMCA closed on Monday, January 9
Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks department – modified operating hours for Monday, January 9. The Aycock Rec Center is open until 6:00 p.m. The pool is closed.
Kerr-Vance Academy closed on Tuesday, January 10
Louisburg College Check-in for new students starts at noon Tuesday. Returning students check in between 9-3 Wednesday. Classes begin Thursday.
Oxford Preparatory School closed on Tuesday, January 10
Person County Schools closed on Tuesday, January 10
Roxboro Community School closed on Tuesday, January 10
The District Attorney’s offices in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren Counties will open at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10
Vance County Government Offices delayed until 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, January 10
Vance Charter School closed on Tuesday, January 10
Vance County Schools closed on Tuesday, January 10
Vance-Granville Community College evening classes cancelled on Monday, January 9
Vance-Granville Community College closed on Tuesday, January 10
Victory Christian School closed on Tuesday, January 10
Wake County Public Schools closed on Tuesday, January 10
Wake Technical Community College closed on Tuesday, January 10
Warren County Schools closed on Tuesday, January 10
VGCC graduates 14 cadets in school’s 103rd BLET Class
Fourteen cadets graduated on Dec. 13 from the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program at Vance-Granville Community College, in a ceremony held in the Civic Center on Main Campus. After passing the state certification exam, all are authorized to work in any law enforcement agency in North Carolina.
Graduates of VGCC’s 103rd BLET class included Heather Jocqueline Cruz of the Franklinton Police Department; Justin Lamar Dailey and Shauna Demetrius Terry, both of the Henderson Police Department; Emmett Avory Smith of the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation; André McCoy Oakley, Cedrick Shawn Peace II and Vicky Victor Philip, all of the Oxford Police Department; Kenneth William Fitzsimmons, Jr., of the Roxboro Police Department; James Brett Aiken, Erik Jamaal Sheftal and Tyrone Terry, all of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office; Antonio Tyrelle Seward of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office; Christopher Lee Oakley and Jennifer Christine Watson.
The ceremony began with a presentation of colors by students from the ROTC program at Northern Vance High School, and the singing of the national anthem by NVHS student Jaylen Webb.
In welcoming remarks, Dr. Angela Ballentine, VGCC’s vice president of academic affairs, thanked the many leaders from local and state law enforcement agencies in attendance for partnering with the college. “Your support for the BLET program is invaluable,” Ballentine told the law enforcement representatives. “You sponsor our cadets, hire our graduates, provide many of our instructors, and give us feedback and advice. This successful partnership between VGCC and our community improves the safety and quality of life of our region.” She congratulated the graduates on successfully completing the rigorous, 667-hour training program and encouraged them to continue their education. “I wish you every success as you protect and serve all of us,” Ballentine added.
Speaking as leader of the class, Cadet Cedrick Peace thanked the many instructors who had trained them, as well as the family members and friends who were there to support the graduates. “Today, we leave the classroom, and tomorrow, we enter our communities, our neighborhoods and our streets,” Peace said to his classmates. “I thank you for choosing to serve others.” He said that the cadets had become like a family. “Family means not letting each other give up when things get hard,” Peace said. “With this profession, you will have many brothers and sisters who will pick you back up when you’re down.”
Graduates selected Sgt. Richard Creech of the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, one of their physical training, or “P.T.,” instructors, to serve as their featured speaker. “You wondered why I pushed you so hard in during P.T. workouts,” he said to the class. “It builds character and discipline, but most importantly, it teaches us not to give up, no matter how tired we get. Out on the streets, we don’t have the luxury of giving up. We will not give up, and we will go home at the end of our shift.”
Creech also reminded the graduating cadets to “treat everyone like you’d want your mother to be treated” and to become leaders in their agencies. “You can and you will make a difference,” he told the class. “I appreciate you all taking the challenge of law enforcement.”
Andrea Ferguson, the program coordinator, and instructor Glen Boyd presented awards to the top students in the class in three categories. Fitzsimmons won the “Top Gun” Award for having the highest accuracy score in firearms qualification. Peace earned the Physical Fitness Award for scoring highest in the various fitness tests the cadets undergo during physical training. Smith took home the Academic Achievement Award for having the top grade average in the written tests each cadet must pass.
For more information on the BLET program, contact Ferguson at fergusona@vgcc.edu.
–VGCC Press Release–
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/VGCC-BLET-2016-cover.jpg280453WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2017-01-03 14:35:532017-01-20 02:57:12VGCC graduates 14 cadets in school’s 103rd BLET Class
A special setting of Vance County Criminal Superior Court was held Monday, December 19, 2016. The Honorable Robert H. Hobgood Senior Resident Superior Court Judge for Franklin, Granville, Vance, and Warren Counties presided for the term. The Office of District Attorney Mike Waters was represented by Assistant District Attorneys Melissa D. Pelfrey and Onica F. Fuller. The single matter scheduled for hearing was the sentencing of Daquan Keith Foster.
Defendant Daquan Foster was convicted of First Degree Rape on December 4, 2015, before the same judge. The sentencing was continued to allow his attorney, E.N. Bagshawe of Warrenton to put forward evidence in mitigation.
Daquan Foster was sentenced to 239 to 347 months in the North Carolina Department of Public Safety, Division of Adult Correction for a 2013 rape in the City of Henderson. Officers with the Henderson Police Department investigated the case after a citizen reported that the victim came out of the woods reporting that she had been sexually assaulted. Strong police work resulted in an eyewitness identification by the victim and the collection of DNA evidence, both of which were presented by the State during Foster’s trial. It took jurors less than an hour to return a verdict of guilty of First Degree Rape against Foster. The jury also heard evidence concerning aggravating factors that were put forth by the State in an effort to increase Foster’s sentence. Jurors took less than five minutes to decide that the State had proven the aggravating factors based on the victim’s mental and physical infirmities and that she was handicapped. This case was investigated and prepared for trial by Detective Brandon Logue, Detective Jessica West, and patrol officers with the Henderson Police Department.
It’s through the hard work of the Henderson Police Department and their collaboration with our office that convictions like this are made possible. Our office would like to acknowledge the victim for her willingness to participate in this prosecution. Without her courage and the hard work of law enforcement, this would not have been possible.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/office-of-DA-mike-waters.png280453WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2016-12-20 10:12:192017-01-20 02:57:12Daquan Foster sentenced in local Rape Case
Vance-Granville Community College and the Advanced Manufacturing Skills Training Alliance (AMSTA) recently partnered to hold a five-part “Rover-Bot” Workshop for area teachers. The series was held on Thursday evenings in October and November in the electronics lab at VGCC’s South Campus, where the Electronics Engineering Technology program is based.
In the workshop, VGCC Engineering Technologies program head Wesley Williams taught the educators about basic electronics and programming while they assembled a “rover” robot, a small, autonomous moving vehicle. The Rover-Bot has two battery-powered motors that move independently, so it is driven like a tank, Williams explained. “Over the course of the workshop, we built the rover and learned how to drive it with a platform called Arduino, which is basically a small computer,” Williams said. “We then incorporated sensors that would activate based on light and temperature and other features. The teachers really enjoyed the building process and the hands-on nature of the class. They said they want to incorporate what they learned in their own classrooms, so I gave them links to more information and ideas.”
According to AMSTA Project Manager Stephanie Ayers, “the goal of the Rover-Bot workshop was to expand teachers’ knowledge of robotics and enable them to sponsor robotics clubs in their school or implement project-based learning in their classroom.”
Among those who attended all or part of the series were: Beverly Spivey-Judkins from Franklinton High School; Kelly Dixon and Fred Reed, both from Granville Central High School; Marva Burrell-Smith from J.F. Webb High School (Granville County); Kevin W. Moran and Traci Branch, both from Mt. Energy Elementary School (Granville County); Audra Neunkirchner from Northern Granville Middle School; Penny Collins and Pamela Huff, both from Northern Vance High School; and Henry Bobbitt from Warren County High School. Each teacher received continuing education credits for attending.
AMSTA is a partnership involving VGCC and the public school systems in Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, who work together to prepare students in the region for careers in manufacturing. A grant from the North Carolina Education and Workforce Innovation Fund supported this workshop and other AMSTA projects. “By providing quality professional development activities that are relevant to manufacturing in our region, we increase our teachers’ ability prepare students to enter these careers,” Ayers said. “Also, by partnering with VGCC to provide these workshops, we have opened up lines of communication between K-12 teachers and community college instructors to share information and ideas about preparing students for advanced manufacturing careers.”
This was the first time Williams has conducted a project-based robotics course for schoolteachers; he offered a broader course in 2015 in partnership with AMSTA on various topics related to electronics and robotics.
VGCC offers both a two-year degree and a certificate in Electronics Engineering Technology (EET). The certificate is also available as a Career and College Promise (CCP) Pathway for eligible high school students. In the EET curriculum, students learn to apply basic engineering principles and technical skills to design, build, install, test, troubleshoot, repair, and modify developmental and production electronic components, equipment, and systems such as industrial/computer controls, manufacturing systems, communication systems and power electronic systems. For more information on the EET program, contact Williams at (252) 738-3541.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/1916531TCYROZ7t.jpg280453WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2016-12-19 10:09:032017-01-20 02:57:12Teachers gain new skills through robotics training at VGCC
Operation Silent Night results in 88 arrests in the four county area
Nearly 230 law enforcement officers from state, local, and federal agencies joined forces this week for Operation Silent Night, an enforcement operation that served outstanding criminal warrants and conducted compliance checks on high risk and violent offenders on probation and parole in Vance, Granville, Warren, and Franklin counties.
Significant arrests and accomplishments included:
Confiscation of 10 firearms including assault rifles and significant quantities of ammunition
Confiscation of significant quantities of methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and cash
Location and cleanup of a home methamphetamine lab in Franklin County
Absconder from post-release supervision safely brought into custody after a three-hour standoff in Franklin County
Recovery of a stolen vehicle in Vance County
Eight parole warrants issued and served for parole or post-release supervision violations
118 searches of probationers attempted, 71 completed
NC Information Sharing and Analysis Center (NC ISAAC)
State Bureau of Investigation
U.S. Attorney’s Office for Eastern District NC
Office of the District Attorney for District 9
North Carolina State Highway Patrol
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives
“The U.S. Marshals Service along with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners will continually work to ensure that violent and repeat offenders on probation and parole supervision are compliant and held accountable for their actions,” said Scott J. Parker, U.S. Marshal for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “This initiative demonstrated the partnership and dedication of the men and women from the U.S. Marshals Service and our law enforcement partners throughout Eastern North Carolina. I want to thank all of the law enforcement officers from the participating agencies for their relentless pursuit of justice here in North Carolina.”
“Cooperation between state, local and federal law enforcement agencies is critical to maintaining safe communities everywhere. No agency can accomplish this alone,” said Frank L. Perry, Secretary of the NC Department of Public Safety. “We appreciate the quality work that these agencies do on a daily basis and we thank them for their collaboration on this operation.”
“The District Attorney’s office is proud to have participated in Operation Silent Night,” said Michael Waters, district attorney for Franklin, Granville, Warren, and Vance counties. “We expect the relationships forged during this effort will pay future dividends in detecting and prosecuting serious felons and probation violators.”
“The City of Henderson and its residents should be extremely pleased with the efforts put forth in this major operation,” said Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. “Our hopes are that the work done in planning and executing Operation Silent Night will benefit our community in the months to come. This is believed to be the largest regional operation for the Henderson Police Department and we are extremely grateful to the U.S. Marshals Service, The NC Department of Public Safety and our partners for their professionalism and effort.”
“Every day the men and women of the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office take proactive steps throughout the county to ensure the safety of the citizens,” said Franklin County Sheriff Kent Winstead. “This operation with local, state and federal agencies is another example of our commitment to continue our efforts in making this county a safe place to live and raise a family.”
“The SBI enjoys long-standing partnerships with local, state and federal law-enforcement agencies and will continue to engage in multi-agency operations like these to make North Carolina a safer place to live,” said NC State Bureau of Investigation Robert Schurmeier. “The SBI was able to contribute to overall efforts with several specialty units including the state’s fusion center (ISAAC), Special Response Team, Clandestine Lab Unit, area field agents, bomb squad and Computer Crimes Unit.”
www.usmarshals.gov
(Press Release Information Above, including two WIZS Photos and one WIZS Cover Photo. The entire press conference was broadcast live on WIZS 1450 AM and streamed live on WIZS.com from about 10:00 a.m. until about 10:35 a.m., which included live interviews with District Attorney Mike Waters, NC SBI Director Robert Schurmeier and Lieutenant Allen Hedgepeth of the Henderson Police Department. The press conference occurred at Clearview Church on Oxford Road in Henderson.)
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/Operation-Silent-Night-Press-121516-wizsphoto1.jpg280453WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2016-12-15 13:30:552017-01-20 02:57:12Operation Silent Night results in 88 arrests in the four county area
Clementine Hunter will attend her first meeting as a new member of the Vance County Board of Education on Monday, December 12, in the Vance County Schools’ Administrative Services Center.
Hunter was officially sworn in to office on December 5, by the Honorable Judge Henry Banks, who also administered the oath to Dorothy Gooche and Ed Wilson. Gooche and Wilson were re-elected in November to their seats on the board of education.
Hunter replaces Emeron J. Cash Sr. on the board. Cash chose not to seek re-election in the November 2016 election and is retiring from the board after 24 years of service to Vance County Schools’ students and educators.
A resident of Henderson, Hunter has experience as a teacher assistant and substitute teacher with the Morris School District in New Jersey. She also has worked as a substitute teacher with Vance, Granville and Warren county schools. Her volunteer work in this area includes: Free Clinic Board member; Area Christians Together in Service (ACTS); Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA); and participation in local theater.
She has a master’s degree in education and training and is continuing studies in pursuit of a doctorate degree in education.
Hunter says as a board of education member she wants to help maintain and develop quality education through programs of inclusivity, diversity and the challenges of global education readiness for present and future generations of learners in Vance County. She sees her role as a board member as a way to help advance the organization of education while partnering with learners, parents, educators, school staff, business leaders, civic leaders, religious leaders and law enforcement officials.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/12174424HlF6oHYc.jpg280330WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2016-12-12 11:50:112017-01-20 02:57:12Hunter to attend first Board of Education Meeting Tonight
The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation recently endowed a new scholarship specifically designed to support Vance-Granville Community College Nursing students who are enrolled in a new program to complete bachelor’s degrees.
In awarding the “Triangle North Healthcare Foundation RIBN Academic Achievement Award” scholarship, preference will be given to students in the “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN) program. RIBN students are simultaneously enrolled at the community college and North Carolina A&T State University. They earn associate’s degrees in nursing through VGCC over three years (while also taking A&T courses online) and then continue for one year of additional courses at A&T required for the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree.
Val Short, the executive director of the foundation, and Dr. Roddy Drake, chairman of the foundation’s board of directors, visited the college to present contributions to the VGCC Endowment Fund. The new endowment marks a continuation of the partnership between the college and the foundation, which has already created a scholarship for students in VGCC Health Sciences programs.
“As part of our mission of service to the region, we are pleased to be able to provide a second scholarship,” Short said. “Education is something that we value, especially the education of our future health care professionals.”
Both Short and Drake noted that higher education is important to the foundation in general, beyond its benefits for workforce development. “Additional education is associated with improved health for people in our region, because having education beyond high school moves people out of poverty,” said Drake, a retired public health director. “Education and the economy directly influence health outcomes.”
Short added that the foundation was particularly interested in supporting the RIBN program. “This is a great opportunity for students in our area to be able to earn a bachelor’s degree without having to leave their home community for four years,” she said. “In addition, having a bachelor’s degree provides more opportunities for nurses to grow professionally and have more career options, so we are glad to be part of such a partnership.”
The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is a regional grant-making organization that was established in 2011 as the successor to the Maria Parham Healthcare Foundation. The foundation focuses on Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties, which also constitute the college’s service area. Its mission is to encourage, support, and invest in quality efforts that measurably improve health in the Triangle North region.
“We are grateful to the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation for partnering with our college to further enhance the RIBN program,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, VGCC’s president. “This scholarship will be a new source of support that will help outstanding Nursing students to achieve professional and personal success.”
Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 8,500 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education. For more information, call (252) 738-3409.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/3018316Q0ghHmEg.jpg280453WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2016-11-30 12:07:192017-01-20 02:57:12Triangle North Healthcare Foundation endows new VGCC Scholarship
FGV Smart Start, Inc., has announced that Dr. Tony Cozart will be the new executive director.
Dr. Cozart is a retired educator, with over 32 years in the local public school systems. He began his career as a teacher and assistant principal in Vance County, then served in Warren County as principal at Norlina Middle, South Warren Elementary and Warren County High schools, among other administrative positions. He is the pastor of Cooks Chapel Baptist Church in Warrenton, and also serves on the Granville County Board of Commissioners.
Cozart is married to the former Jacqueline Peace. They have three daughters: Kimberly, Kristal, and Karmen. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Saint Paul’s College, Master of Arts in School Administration from North Carolina Central University, and Doctor of Education from Nova Southeastern University.
Dr. Cozart has been the Kindergarten Readiness coordinator at FGV Smart Start the last two years. He began his duties as the executive director on November 16.
https://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/28194543qO2bxhhH.jpg280453WIZS Staffhttps://wizs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/wizswebsitelogoimage.pngWIZS Staff2016-11-28 13:47:512017-01-20 02:57:12FGV Smart Start Announces New Executive Director
