-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Fifteen cadets graduated from the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program at Vance-Granville Community College in a ceremony held May 14 in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus. After passing the state certification exam, all are authorized to work in any law enforcement agency in North Carolina.
Above: On front row, from left: graduates Kevin Allen, Taylor Inscoe, Zachary Long and the college’s interim director of Law Enforcement Training/BLET, Glen Boyd; on second row, from left: graduates Maggie Cabiness, Jonathan Kearney, Jeremy Moore, Zachary Workman and Seth Hodge; and on back row, from left: graduates Gina Chappell, Daniel Allen, Michael Bader, Andrew Spitzer, Jake Coleman, Sabrina Hoyle and Emma Britt. (VGCC Photo)
Honored as members of VGCC’s 108th BLET class were: Emma Carey Britt and Andrew Ronald Spitzer, both of Butner Public Safety; Jeremy Dale Moore and Zachary Lance Workman, both of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office; Jake Matthew Coleman and Sabrina Edward Hoyle, both of the Henderson Police Department; Seth Thomas Hodge of the N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation; Daniel Marquis Allen, Michael James Bader and Gina Christine Chappell, all of the Oxford Police Department; Kevin Ward Allen, Taylor Nicole Inscoe and Zachary Thomas Long, all of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office; Maggie Rena Cabiness and Jonathan Shawn Kearney, both of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
The class was exceptional in at least two major ways. First, all 15 cadets who began the program successfully graduated, marking a rare 100-percent completion rate for the rigorous 16 weeks of training. Second, each member of the class was employed by a law enforcement agency by the day of their graduation.
Speaking as leader of the class, Cadet Seth Hodge thanked all the graduates’ family members and friends in attendance for their support. He added that the class had learned a great deal about teamwork. “We as a group of strangers decided on this path together, and we were tasked to complete our first major hurdle in our careers together,” Hodge said. Learning to trust one another, he said the team had then become a family. “And no matter where our lives take us from here, no matter the badge or uniform we wear, I want you to always remember just what we are: family,” he added.
VGCC Campus Police Chief Sean Newton, representing the program’s many instructors, was chosen by the cadets as the keynote speaker for their graduation. He congratulated the cadets on the completion of “a long, hard journey.”
Newton reminded the new law enforcement professionals that they would be taking an “oath of honor” to uphold and protect the Constitution, their community and their agency.
“The first thing you will uphold is the Constitution,” Newton said. “You’re taking an oath to protect the rights of all people of our state and country: the victims of crimes, the general public, and those accused of crimes. In my opinion, there is no greater responsibility than this.”
Second, they will pledge to uphold their community. “I cannot stress enough how important it is to embrace and include the community in your law enforcement efforts,” Newton said. “We’ve seen a reported breakdown between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Some of it is unfortunately true, while some may be exaggerated by social media or certain biases. Regardless of the reason, we must, as members of the law enforcement community, constantly strive to better these relationships.”
Finally, he said, graduates will swear an oath to the agencies they serve. “I would like to add all law enforcement officers in general to that category,” Newton said. “Always remember, you won’t be the only officer judged by your actions; every other officer in the country will be, too. No other profession is scrutinized as much as law enforcement, and rightfully so.”
The police chief called on graduates to think carefully about the words in their oath and remember them as they start their careers. “How you embrace these words will determine how successful your career will be,” Newton said.
Glen Boyd, interim director of Law Enforcement programs and BLET at VGCC, presented awards to several students. Kevin Allen took home the Academic Achievement Award for having the top grade average in the written tests each cadet must pass. Seth Hodge earned the Physical Fitness Award for scoring highest in the various fitness tests the cadets undergo during physical training. Michael Bader won the “Top Gun” Award for having the highest accuracy score in firearms qualification.
For more information on the BLET program, contact Glen Boyd at boydg@vgcc.edu.
Postponed ‘Brides on Wheels’ Tour & Vendor Show Now Set for This Sunday!
/by Kelly BondurantAngela Allen, director for the Granville County Tourism Development Authority, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the second annual “Brides on Wheels: Bridal Tour & Vendor Show” taking place Sunday, May 26, 2019.
Originally scheduled for April 14 and postponed due to bad weather, this Sunday’s event will offer an opportunity to take a scenic tour on a “bridal bus” to learn more about wedding ceremony/reception locations and available resources in Granville County.
“This event gives brides and their guests an opportunity to ride on a limo bus to view four different venues, including Granville County’s own Cedar Grove Acres, Vino Oasi, Carlee Farms and Thorndale Oaks,” said Allen.
The bridal tour will depart the Clarion Inn and Suites located at 913 MLK Ave. in Oxford, NC at 1 p.m. and will return at approximately 6:20 p.m.
The Clarion Inn will also be the site of a public vendor show to be held in the ballroom from 12 until 4 p.m.
Event Schedule:
11 a.m. Early admission for brides that have booked bridal tour and early access to vendors at Clarion Inn, Oxford
(Vendor Show will be held from 12 – 4 p.m. for the general public)
1 p.m. Lifestyle bus departs from Clarion Inn, Oxford
1:15 – 2:15 pm Carlee Farm (Oxford, NC) https://www.carleefarm.com/
2:30 – 3:20 p.m. Vino Oasi (Stem, NC) https://www.vinooasi.com/
3:40 – 4:40 p.m. Cedar Grove Acres (Creedmoor, NC) https://cedargroveacres.com/
5:10 – 6:10 p.m. Thorndale Oaks (Oxford, NC) https://www.thorndaleoaks.com/
6:20 pm – Lifestyle bus returns to Clarion Inn, Oxford
Participants who purchase the $25 combo ticket for the tour and the vendor show will have a sneak-peek opportunity of the vendors’ wares in the Clarion ballroom beginning at 11 a.m. This combo ticket also includes a goodie bag filled with items from participating vendors. Seating on the bus is limited; however, tickets are still available.
Tickets for the vendor show only are available for $10.
“We really want to showcase all of the wonderful things we have right here in Granville County to offer brides and anyone who wants to put together a special event,” said Allen. “We want to coin ourselves as being close to Raleigh, Durham and other points in the Triangle area. With only a 30-60 minute drive, you really will feel like you are getting away for your wedding.”
Created as a way to promote Granville County as a tourism destination, Allen said the bridal event boosts the local economy, promotes local vendors and makes both residents and nonresidents alike aware of what the county has to offer.
“When a wedding venue is booked, we are bringing in people and their guests for a weekend. That can be anywhere from 100-250 people staying in hotels, going to downtown restaurants and shopping at local businesses. We are cultivating a whole economic segment all of its own,” Allen said.
Tickets are still available through Event Brite (click here) or will be available at the door the day of the event.
For more information about the bridal tour or the vendor show, visit https://www.visitgranvillenc.com or contact Granville County Tourism Director Angela Allen by phone at 919-693-6125 or by email at angela.allen@granvillecounty.org.
To hear the Town Talk interview with Angela Allen in its entirety, including additional conversation regarding tourism in Granville County, please click here.
State Vet Encourages Livestock Owners to Vaccinate Before Peak Rabies Season
/by WIZS Staff-Press Release, NCDA&CS
Summer is peak rabies season and State Veterinarian Doug Meckes is encouraging North Carolina livestock owners to consider having their animals vaccinated against the disease.
“This year we have seen a rise in the number of reported rabies in livestock at seven cases,” Meckes said. “Last year the state had three cases reported for the entire year. Horses, cattle and goats are naturally curious animals, which puts them at risk for a bite if a rabid animal gets through their fence line.”
Rabies is transmitted primarily in saliva through a bite. Livestock infected with rabies usually appear depressed, have a lack of appetite; difficulty eating, drinking or swallowing; profuse salivation; blindness; head-pressing; circling; vocalization; fever; strained defecation; increased sexual excitement or activity; limp tail, anus, or tongue. Constant yawning, itching or nibbling may be a sign of rabies, too. Rabies can be associated with neurological problems such as incoordination, decreased muscle tone and reflexes, shifting lameness, or partial-to-complete paralysis. Horse owners should be aware that rabies can often mimic symptoms of colic in horses.
The incubation for rabies is between two weeks and six months. Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal.
Other ways to protect yourself and animals:
Livestock owners should discuss with their veterinarians the risk of rabies in their area and preventive vaccinations.
H-V Rec. & Parks Youth Cheerleading Registration Begins June 3
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center
Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks announces that youth cheerleading registration will be ongoing from Monday, June 3 until Sunday, August 4, 2019.
Register at Aycock Recreation Center, 307 Carey Chapel Road, Henderson. Registration fee is $40 – $30 for those that played softball in 2019.
This program is designed for youth ages 6 – 14. The participants will learn the basic skills and fundamentals of cheering. Participants will have the opportunity to showcase their skills by cheering at youth football games for the Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Youth Football programs.
For additional information, please contact either:
Steve Osborne – sosborne@ci.henderson.nc.us or (252) 438-2670
Victor Hunt – vhunt@ci.henderson.nc.us or (252) 438-3408
Cooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 05/21/19
/by CharleneNews 05/21/19
/by LarryTown Talk 05/21/19
/by LarryDSS and Senior Center to former Eaton Johnson Moving Forward
/by John C. RoseFriday, May 17, 2019 the Vance County Properties Committee, consisting of Vance County Commissioners Dan Brummitt, Leo Kelly and Gordan Wilder, met.
Brummitt told WIZS News that the committee voted to move forward with planning for the Vance County Department of Social Services and the the Vance County Senior Center to move to the former Eaton Johnson Middle School building.
Now the committee will make that recommendation to the full board of commissioners.
Wilder said, “We are engaging an architectural firm to move forward with plans and intend to work very closely with them.”
County Manager Jordan McMillan said, “The committee met with the senior center advisory committee as well as leadership from the Department of Social Services and the senior center late last week. The committee will be recommending that design begin on Eaton Johnson to include space for DSS and the senior center.”
When asked about the former Henderson Middle School building on Charles Street, Brummitt said, “The County has taken no action on Henderson Middle School, but we would like to see it as a historical site.”
McMillan said, “Related to Henderson Middle School, the board previously took action not to acquire this building from the school system. It is my understanding the school system is exploring their options for surplussing the building with the idea that our board has recommended that it be added to the historical register and put into productive reuse.”
VGCC Graduates 15 Cadets in 108th Basic Law Enforcement Training Class
/by WIZS Staff-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Fifteen cadets graduated from the Basic Law Enforcement Training (BLET) program at Vance-Granville Community College in a ceremony held May 14 in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus. After passing the state certification exam, all are authorized to work in any law enforcement agency in North Carolina.
Above: On front row, from left: graduates Kevin Allen, Taylor Inscoe, Zachary Long and the college’s interim director of Law Enforcement Training/BLET, Glen Boyd; on second row, from left: graduates Maggie Cabiness, Jonathan Kearney, Jeremy Moore, Zachary Workman and Seth Hodge; and on back row, from left: graduates Gina Chappell, Daniel Allen, Michael Bader, Andrew Spitzer, Jake Coleman, Sabrina Hoyle and Emma Britt. (VGCC Photo)
Honored as members of VGCC’s 108th BLET class were: Emma Carey Britt and Andrew Ronald Spitzer, both of Butner Public Safety; Jeremy Dale Moore and Zachary Lance Workman, both of the Granville County Sheriff’s Office; Jake Matthew Coleman and Sabrina Edward Hoyle, both of the Henderson Police Department; Seth Thomas Hodge of the N.C. Division of Parks & Recreation; Daniel Marquis Allen, Michael James Bader and Gina Christine Chappell, all of the Oxford Police Department; Kevin Ward Allen, Taylor Nicole Inscoe and Zachary Thomas Long, all of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office; Maggie Rena Cabiness and Jonathan Shawn Kearney, both of the Warren County Sheriff’s Office.
The class was exceptional in at least two major ways. First, all 15 cadets who began the program successfully graduated, marking a rare 100-percent completion rate for the rigorous 16 weeks of training. Second, each member of the class was employed by a law enforcement agency by the day of their graduation.
Speaking as leader of the class, Cadet Seth Hodge thanked all the graduates’ family members and friends in attendance for their support. He added that the class had learned a great deal about teamwork. “We as a group of strangers decided on this path together, and we were tasked to complete our first major hurdle in our careers together,” Hodge said. Learning to trust one another, he said the team had then become a family. “And no matter where our lives take us from here, no matter the badge or uniform we wear, I want you to always remember just what we are: family,” he added.
VGCC Campus Police Chief Sean Newton, representing the program’s many instructors, was chosen by the cadets as the keynote speaker for their graduation. He congratulated the cadets on the completion of “a long, hard journey.”
Newton reminded the new law enforcement professionals that they would be taking an “oath of honor” to uphold and protect the Constitution, their community and their agency.
“The first thing you will uphold is the Constitution,” Newton said. “You’re taking an oath to protect the rights of all people of our state and country: the victims of crimes, the general public, and those accused of crimes. In my opinion, there is no greater responsibility than this.”
Second, they will pledge to uphold their community. “I cannot stress enough how important it is to embrace and include the community in your law enforcement efforts,” Newton said. “We’ve seen a reported breakdown between law enforcement and the communities they serve. Some of it is unfortunately true, while some may be exaggerated by social media or certain biases. Regardless of the reason, we must, as members of the law enforcement community, constantly strive to better these relationships.”
Finally, he said, graduates will swear an oath to the agencies they serve. “I would like to add all law enforcement officers in general to that category,” Newton said. “Always remember, you won’t be the only officer judged by your actions; every other officer in the country will be, too. No other profession is scrutinized as much as law enforcement, and rightfully so.”
The police chief called on graduates to think carefully about the words in their oath and remember them as they start their careers. “How you embrace these words will determine how successful your career will be,” Newton said.
Glen Boyd, interim director of Law Enforcement programs and BLET at VGCC, presented awards to several students. Kevin Allen took home the Academic Achievement Award for having the top grade average in the written tests each cadet must pass. Seth Hodge earned the Physical Fitness Award for scoring highest in the various fitness tests the cadets undergo during physical training. Michael Bader won the “Top Gun” Award for having the highest accuracy score in firearms qualification.
For more information on the BLET program, contact Glen Boyd at boydg@vgcc.edu.
City of Henderson Announces Memorial Day Sanitation Schedule
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Esther J. McCrackin, City Clerk, City of Henderson, NC
The City of Henderson’s Sanitation Division will not work on Monday, May 27, 2019 – Memorial Day.
Yard Waste, Recycling and Curbside Materials for Monday, May 27 will be collected on Tuesday, May 28. Please note that this is for Yard Waste, Recycling and Curbside Materials only.
Waste Industries will collect trash as scheduled on Monday, May 27.
Dedication Ceremonies Being Held for New Dog Park, Renamed Rollins Ave. Park
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center
You are invited to join the Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Department for the dedication ceremonies for our new dog park, Pawesome Park, and the newly renamed Rollins Avenue Park, formerly known as Jaycee Park, on Friday, May 24, 2019.
The dedication ceremony for Pawesome Park, located at Fox Pond Park, 467 Vicksboro Rd. in Henderson, will begin at 11 a.m.
The dedication ceremony for Rollins Avenue Park, located at 305 Rollins Ave. in Henderson, will begin at 1 p.m.
For more information, please contact Tara Goolsby at 252.438.3948 (tgoolsby@ci.henderson.nc.us).