Applications, Nominations Being Accepted For New VGCC President

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees is now inviting applications and nominations for the position of President of the college.

A website has been launched with a presidential profile and the details of the application procedure. The site can be reached at www.vgcc.edu/presidentialsearch.

General inquiries about the college and application materials can be directed to April Perkinson, search liaison to the board, at (252) 738-3227 or perkinson@vgcc.edu.

To be assured consideration, resumes and cover letters must be received by Friday, November 9, 2018, according to the website. Resumes with cover letters and nominations will be accepted until the position is filled.

The Trustees are working with the firm of Executive Leadership Associates (ELA) LLC of Emerald Isle to assist in the search for a replacement for Dr. Stelfanie Williams who left the college in August to take a job with Duke University. The new president will be the seventh in the history of the college.

ELA, described as “a consortium of former North Carolina community college presidents who are committed to ensuring that our internationally recognized community college system continues its proud tradition of excellence,” was selected by the Board of Trustees at its September 17 meeting.

The firm is helping the Trustees by creating the presidential profile of the ideal candidate needed, guiding the search process, and recruiting and screening applicants as needed.

The trustees are expected to present finalists to the State Board of Community Colleges for evaluation early in 2019, said Dr. Gordon Burns who is serving as interim president for the college. The board plans to have the new president in place in March 2019. Dr. Burns served as president of Wilkes Community College in North Wilkesboro for 18 years before retiring in 2014.

Serving on the Trustees’ presidential search committee are Trustees Deborah Brown, chair; Herb Gregory, vice chair; N. Annette P. Myers, Abdul Sm Rasheed, Donald C. Seifert, Sr., and Sara C. Wester.

Food, Music & Pie Contest All Part of Warrenton’s Upcoming Harvest Market

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-Information and flyer courtesy the Warrenton Festivals Facebook page

The Warrenton Revitalization Committee will hold a Harvest Market event on Saturday, October 13, 2018, from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in the Historic Courthouse Square in downtown Warrenton.

Crafts, art, gifts, jewelry, candles, produce, festival foods and more will be available. Enjoy live music by The Jimmy Weaver Trio.

Also, don’t miss the first ever Harvest Pie Competition! Categories for pie judging include apple, sweet potato, pumpkin and pecan. Judging will take place around 2 p.m. and cash prizes will be awarded.

Contest registration forms may be printed from the Warrenton Festivals Facebook page by clicking here.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

 

Important Voter Registration/Election Dates

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-Information courtesy the North Carolina State Board of Elections & Ethics Enforcement

Important Dates:

Friday, October 12, 2018 – Regular Voter Registration Deadline

Voter registration forms must be postmarked or delivered to your county elections office by 5 p.m. on October 12. Same-day registration will be available in your county during the One-Stop Early Voting period, beginning October 17 and ending November 3.

Wednesday, October 17, 2018 – Start of One-Stop Early Voting

Voters may register and vote at any One-Stop Early Voting location in their county of residence. For locations and hours, check with your county elections office or vt.ncsbe.gov/OSSite.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018 – Regular Deadline to Request a Mail-In Absentee Ballot

Requests must be received by your county elections office by 5 p.m. on October 30.

Saturday, November 3, 2018 – End of One-Stop Early Voting and Same-Day Registration

Tuesday, November 6, 2018 – ELECTION DAY

Polls will be open 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Locate your polling place at vt.ncsbe.gov/PPLkup.

Warren County Logo

Warrenton Christmas Parade Set for Dec. 8; Parade Entry Forms Now Available

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-Information courtesy Butch Meek, Rotary Club of Warrenton

The Rotary Club of Warrenton announces that they are partnering with the Town of Warrenton as civic sponsors of the 2018 Christmas Parade to be held Saturday, December 8, 2018, at 5 p.m.

This year’s theme is “Be the Inspiration.” Rotary is asking parade participants to showcase how their organization is involved with environmental issues that affect health and welfare both locally and around the world. Participants in the parade are encouraged to show how they are providing inspiration in their communities. Cash prizes will be awarded to the best floats.

Entries will be judged December 8 at 5 p.m. The parade rain date is set for Sunday, December 9. Parade entry forms can be obtained from the Town Hall located at 133 South Main Street or from Tar Heel Tire Company, or visit the Warrenton Festivals page on FaceBook.

Warrenton Revitalization Committee to Host First Harvest Pie Competition

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-Information courtesy the Warrenton Festivals Facebook page

The Warrenton Revitalization Committee is hosting our first ever Harvest Pie Competition during this year’s annual Harvest Market Festival on Saturday, October 13! The categories include apple, sweet potato, pumpkin and pecan pies.

We will be accepting entry forms at the festival from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. Judging will take place around 2 p.m. and cash prizes will be awarded, amounts to be determined.

We have added a youth division to make the competition more accessible to kids and teenagers who want to participate. We have edited the registration form with”Adult” and “Youth” boxes. The form may be printed from the Warrenton Festivals Facebook page by clicking here.

We hope to see you there!

(This is not a paid advertisement)

U.S. Department of Justice

Help Florence Victims, NOT Scammers

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— courtesy of The United States Department of Justice and The United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina

Department of Justice Reminds the Public to Be Aware of Fraud When Disaster Strikes and Report it to the National Center for Disaster Fraud – (866) 720-5721

RALEIGH – The Department of Justice established the National Center for Disaster Fraud (NCDF) in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, when billions of dollars in federal disaster relief poured into the Gulf Coast region, which opened opportunities for criminals to exploit people during vulnerable times. The NCDF, a national coordinating agency within the Department’s Criminal Division, operates a call center at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge and serves as a centralized clearinghouse for disaster fraud complaints and information relating to both natural and man-made disasters. The NCDF seeks to improve and further the detection, prevention, investigation, and prosecution of fraud related to natural and man-made disasters, and to advocate for victims of such fraud. More than 20 federal, state, and local agencies participate in the NCDF, which allows them to forward complaints to the appropriate agency for investigation.

“In the aftermath of the devastation wrought by Hurricane Florence the affected communities and citizens of Eastern North Carolina should be on guard against disaster fraud schemes,” said Robert J. Higdon, Jr., United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina. “As FEMA and other federal, state, and local relief agencies work tirelessly to support those who have suffered losses as the result of this natural disaster, we can be certain that criminals will target those impacted and attempt to profit from the suffering of others. The Department of Justice is committed to detecting and stopping this type of fraud. Through the National Center for Disaster Fraud, and in conjunction with our law enforcement partners, we are working to aggressively prosecute the offenders.”

While compassion, assistance, and solidarity are generally prevalent in the aftermath of natural disasters, unscrupulous individuals and organizations also use these tragic events to take advantage of those in need. Examples of illegal activity being reported to the NCDF and law enforcement include:

FEMA fraud;
Identity theft;
Contractor fraud;
Charity fraud; and,
Impersonation of government officials.

The NCDF reminds the public to be aware of and report any instances of alleged fraudulent activity related to relief operations and funding for victims. Members of the public are reminded to apply a critical eye and do their due diligence before trusting anyone purporting to be working on behalf of disaster victims and before giving contributions to anyone soliciting donations on behalf of disaster victims. The public is also reminded to be extremely cautious before providing personal identifying or financial information to anyone, especially those who may contact you after a natural disaster.

Unfortunately, criminals can exploit disasters, such as Hurricane Florence, for their own gain by sending fraudulent communications through email or social media and by creating phony websites designed to solicit contributions. Tips should be reported to the NCDF at (866) 720-5721. The line is staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Additionally, e-mails can be sent to disaster@leo.gov, and information can be faxed to (225) 334-4707.

Learn more about the NCDF at www.justice.gov/disaster-fraud and watch a public service announcement from United States Attorney Higdon here (link is external). Within the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Deputy Criminal Chief Felice Corpening serves as the Disaster Fraud Coordinator. Working with the NCDF and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, Deputy Criminal Chief Corpening oversees the federal prosecution and investigation of disaster fraud matters impacting Eastern North Carolina. Violations of North Carolina state disaster fraud laws are handled by the North Carolina Department of Justice’s (NCDOJ) Consumer Protection Division. The NCDOJ Consumer Protection Division may be contacted at 1-877-5-NO-SCAM (1-877-566-7226) or by visiting www.ncdoj.gov/complaint.

Tips for the public on how to avoid being victimized by fraud are available at https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/tips-avoiding-fraudulent-charitable-contribution-schemes.

Parade and Pancakes Await at 35th Annual Warren Co. Firemen’s Day

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-Information courtesy the Warren County Firemen’s Association Facebook page

Come out this Saturday, September 29, 2018, for the 35th Annual Warren County Firemen’s Day.

A Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser will be held at Warrenton Rural Volunteer Fire Department from 7 – 10 a.m. (by the Warren County Junior Firefighters | Fire Explorer Post 672). The meal includes pancakes, sausage, baked apples, coffee and milk for $7.

After breakfast, the fire truck parade will begin at 11 a.m. on Main Street in Warrenton, followed by a firefighter competition to be held at 1 p.m.

Judging of fire apparatus will also be held across the street from Warrenton Rural Volunteer Fire Department in the morning.

Firemen’s Day events are sponsored by the Warren County Firemen’s Association and are open to the public. Admission and parking are free.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Five VGCC Students Join RIBN Program in NC A&T Ceremony

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Five Vance-Granville Community College students were formally inducted into the North Carolina Piedmont “Regionally Increasing Baccalaureate Nurses” (RIBN) program in a ceremony in August at North Carolina A&T State University’s Union Square Campus in Greensboro.

RIBN is a partnership involving the university, VGCC, Davidson County Community College (DCCC) and Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC).

This year’s inductees from VGCC are Jolina Chiong of Henderson, Madison Hetrick of Henderson, Jaslin Renteria of Henderson, Chris Trotman of Durham and April Zuniga-Trejo of Henderson.

At the induction ceremony, the A&T School of Nursing welcomed students from VGCC and the other community colleges who will be simultaneously enrolled at the university. RIBN students earn associate’s degrees in nursing 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.

Above: Shown celebrating the induction of five new students in RIBN at NCA&T in Greensboro, from left, are VGCC Academic/Career Coach Seletha Pherribo, VGCC Dean of Health Sciences Angela Thomas, RIBN student inductees Jolina Chiong, Madison Hetrick, Chris Trotman, Jaslin Renteria, and April Zuniga-Trejo, VGCC Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Levy Brown, and Nursing Department Chair Erica Jastrow. (VGCC photo)

Erica Jastrow, the Nursing department chair for VGCC, presented each college’s student inductees with a certificate of induction as part of the ceremony, while Academic/Career Coach Seletha Pherribo read a brief biography of each one.

With five out of the 11 students selected for this year’s cohort, VGCC again had the most inductees among the three community colleges in the partnership. In 2017, VGCC had 11 of the 18 students selected, more inductees that the two other community colleges combined. In the first year of the partnership, 2016, the initial cohort consisted of three students, one from each community college.

The North Carolina Piedmont RIBN initiative is one of nine such partnerships that have been launched in North Carolina since 2008 under the direction of the Foundation for Nursing Excellence (FFNE) to increase the educational preparation of North Carolina’s nursing workforce.

In addition to recognizing the RIBN Advisory Board members, Jastrow thanked employers who have met with RIBN students to outline employment opportunities that lie ahead for graduates. “This really shows how desirable our RIBN students are,” she said. “The employers are seeking them out, wanting to come and talk with them.” She also thanked the community and university administrators for providing the fiscal and human resources to support the RIBN students.

Dr. Terry Ward, director of the A&T School of Nursing, praised the students for enrolling in RIBN. “You are going to reduce the impact on the financial debt for our country by saving money and creating a bridge to your education,” she said. “That’s extremely important in today’s times.”

Citing the rising cost of education for young people and the impact it is having, she added, “It’s amazing to see that so many people are doing what they need to do to create the future nurses that we need, to create people who will have economic stability and power. You are showing people it can be done.”

In addition to RIBN, VGCC has a partnership with A&T to allow graduates of its Associate Degree Nursing program to transition easily to the university’s four-year Bachelor’s program. For more information about Nursing at VGCC and bachelor’s degree options, contact academic/career coach Seletha Pherribo at (252) 738-3518 or Nursing department chair Erica Jastrow at (252) 738-3457.

More photos: Check out VGCC’s album on Flickr!

VGCC to Host 7th Annual Small Business Summit at Warren Co. Armory

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-Information and flyer courtesy the Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center Facebook page

The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center will host the 7th Annual VGCC Small Business Summit on Monday, October 15, 2018, from 5 – 8:15 p.m. at the Warren County Armory & Convention Center.

This free event offers aspiring entrepreneurs, small business owners and non-profit leaders the opportunity to network and discover available resources in the community.

Deadline to register for the summit is Friday, October 5. Register online by clicking here.

Dinner will be served and is made possible by Duke Energy.

Schedule:

4:30 – 5 p.m. – Registration/Networking

5 – 6 p.m. – Keynote Address: What is Your Digital First Impression Online and Why it is Important – Martin Brossman

Your future customers want to know more about you then just what is on your website and they may trust you less if they don’t. We all are looking for secondary validation for everything from credible information for a product, business, person or service. This class is going to show you the free and low-cost way to make the best digital (web-based) first impression that will lead to more sales and more referrals for your business.

6 – 6:10 p.m – Break

6:10 – 7:10 p.m. – Stock Your Pantry With The Right Business Resources

Got a business idea you’d like to cook up from scratch or the possibility of expanding your business or nonprofit? Then, be inspired, gain courage and practical insights from our dynamic panel of experts from planning and zoning, insurance, accounting and legal. Panelists will share insights into pitfalls to watch out for when starting the process as well as where to find resources that can help you succeed. They will also be available for specific questions during the Q&A session to help you better achieve the outcomes you desire for your small business. Ask questions, plan next steps, meet like-minded peers and walk away ready to take action so that your “pantry” is stocked with the right business resources so that you can be successful.

7:10 – 8:10 p.m. – Top 10 Tips: How to Work with Media – Kristen Baughman

What’s a social influencer? How about a micro-influencer? Join Tabletop Media Group’s Founder Kristen Baughman for a session on “Top 10 Tips: How to Work with Media.” During her presentation, she will cover how your brand can help your small business gain more exposure by pitching and engaging with bloggers, media, Instagram stars and more.

Co-Sponsor(s): Duke Energy, Warren County EDC; Lake Gaston Regional Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Center, Chamber of Commerce of Warren County

For more information, contact Tanya Weary, Director, VGCC Small Business Center at (252) 738-3240 or smallbusiness@vgcc.edu.

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Red Cross: Blood, Platelet Donations Needed in Wake of Florence

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-Press Release, American Red Cross

As the American Red Cross responds to Hurricane Florence, providing food, shelter and comfort to those affected, blood and platelet donors are urged to give when it’s safe to travel to care for patients in the storm’s path and across the country. People can also help by making a financial donation to support relief efforts.

Hurricane’s impact on blood and platelet donations

Hurricane Florence’s wrath left catastrophic damage behind and also took a toll on blood and platelet donations. Nearly 200 Red Cross blood drives in the Southeast were forced to cancel, resulting in more than 5,200 uncollected blood and platelet donations. In North Carolina, 57 blood drives were called off due to the storm, causing nearly 2,100 blood and platelet donations to go uncollected.

“Natural disasters like hurricanes can disrupt blood drives and prevent donors from giving, but hospital patients still depend on lifesaving transfusions,” said Cliff Numark, senior vice president, Red Cross Blood Services. “There is an especially critical need for platelets to help cancer patients and type O blood donations for ongoing patient care and emergencies. Every donation can be a lifeline for patients.”

How to help

As conditions improve, donors of all blood types are urged to make an appointment to give blood or platelets and replenish the blood supply. Appointments can be made by using the Blood Donor App, visiting RedCrossBlood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS  (1-800-733-2767).

Financial donations are also needed and allow the Red Cross to provide disaster relief immediately. Help people affected by Hurricane Florence by visiting RedCross.org, calling 1-800-RED CROSS or texting the word FLORENCE to 90999 to make a $10 donation.

Up-to-date information about how the Red Cross is responding to Hurricane Florence is available at RedCross.org.

Upcoming blood donation opportunities in your area:

Franklin County

Louisburg

9/22/2018: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Rock Spring Baptist Church, 34 Rock Springs Church Rd.

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Granville County

Creedmoor

9/28/2018: 2  – 6:30 p.m., Creedmoor United Methodist Church, 214 Park Avenue

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Warren County

Norlina

10/13/2018: 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Zion United Methodist Church, 141 Zion Church Rd.

How to donate blood

A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

Blood and platelet donors can save time at their next donation by using RapidPass® to complete their pre-donation reading and health history questionnaire online, on the day of their donation, before arriving at the blood drive. To get started, follow the instructions at RedCrossBlood.org/RapidPass or use the Blood Donor App.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission. For more information, please visit RedCross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or visit us on Twitter at @RedCross.