-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Vance-Granville Community College’s Mobile Food Truck Entrepreneurship classes return to the college’s Main Campus in Vance County starting in January with four new seminars on food service.
Sponsored by VGCC’s Small Business Center, students can take all or as many of the classes they choose. Each of the free classes is scheduled in Building 7 on Main Campus on a Monday evening in the months of January through April.
Above: Ray Chow is the founder of Hibachi Xpress and Catering by Ray.
Ray Chow, founder of Hibachi Xpress and Catering by Ray, will again serve as the instructor for the series. A graduate of N.C. State University, Chow started Hibachi Xpress restaurant in Cary and expanded to three locations, as well as managing some of his family’s other restaurants in the Raleigh and Wilmington areas. He has worked in restaurants since he was seven years old.
Seven years ago, Chow expanded his restaurant and catering business with the addition of a food truck to participate in different festivals and large gatherings. The popularity of food trucks has grown, and, in 2014, Hibachi Xpress shifted focus towards catering and the food truck business, moving away from the brick and mortar stores.
Chow is also a co-founder of “foosye,” a startup tech company building innovative technology applications tailored to the food truck industry.
The first in the series — “Let’s Get Cooking: Food Truck or Restaurant?” — will explore the differences in what it takes to start a food truck or a restaurant and continue operating one successfully. The Jan. 14 seminar is designed for those who want to realize their passion to be a small business owner in the food service industry.
The second seminar — “The 10 Hats of a Food Service Entrepreneur” — is being held on Feb. 11. Just because a person has a passion for cooking doesn’t mean he or she will be successful at owning a food truck or restaurant business, Chow said. This seminar will detail the many roles or “hats” entrepreneurs have to be able to juggle to succeed in business.
Above, the Hibachi Xpress food truck is owned by Ray Chow, who will be the instructor for the four VGCC Mobile Food Truck Entrepreneurship classes in January through April.
The March 11 workshop will be devoted to “Food Service Marketing: Your Customers Can’t Buy From You If They Can’t Find You.” Those exploring the food service industry will have an opportunity to learn various ways to market their food business to improve their chances of success.
On April 8, the topic of “Keeping Your Food Truck Business Running” will take a closer look at the need for flexibility and proper planning. “Imagine putting wheels on a restaurant you built,” said Chow. “There are things that will fall, slip, break down, move or not work when you add in the mobility of a food truck operation. Learn how things will end up on the floor when you arrive at your destination when not properly secured or planned.”
Participants in the program will also be required to sign up as clients of the VGCC Small Business Center, which is free of charge.
The deadline to register for each class is one week prior to the date of the class. For more information and to register, contact the VGCC Small Business Center at (252) 738-3240 or smallbusiness@vgcc.edu.
VGCC Announces Four New Classes for Food Truck Entrepreneurs
/by WIZS Staff-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College
Vance-Granville Community College’s Mobile Food Truck Entrepreneurship classes return to the college’s Main Campus in Vance County starting in January with four new seminars on food service.
Sponsored by VGCC’s Small Business Center, students can take all or as many of the classes they choose. Each of the free classes is scheduled in Building 7 on Main Campus on a Monday evening in the months of January through April.
Above: Ray Chow is the founder of Hibachi Xpress and Catering by Ray.
Ray Chow, founder of Hibachi Xpress and Catering by Ray, will again serve as the instructor for the series. A graduate of N.C. State University, Chow started Hibachi Xpress restaurant in Cary and expanded to three locations, as well as managing some of his family’s other restaurants in the Raleigh and Wilmington areas. He has worked in restaurants since he was seven years old.
Seven years ago, Chow expanded his restaurant and catering business with the addition of a food truck to participate in different festivals and large gatherings. The popularity of food trucks has grown, and, in 2014, Hibachi Xpress shifted focus towards catering and the food truck business, moving away from the brick and mortar stores.
Chow is also a co-founder of “foosye,” a startup tech company building innovative technology applications tailored to the food truck industry.
The first in the series — “Let’s Get Cooking: Food Truck or Restaurant?” — will explore the differences in what it takes to start a food truck or a restaurant and continue operating one successfully. The Jan. 14 seminar is designed for those who want to realize their passion to be a small business owner in the food service industry.
The second seminar — “The 10 Hats of a Food Service Entrepreneur” — is being held on Feb. 11. Just because a person has a passion for cooking doesn’t mean he or she will be successful at owning a food truck or restaurant business, Chow said. This seminar will detail the many roles or “hats” entrepreneurs have to be able to juggle to succeed in business.
Above, the Hibachi Xpress food truck is owned by Ray Chow, who will be the instructor for the four VGCC Mobile Food Truck Entrepreneurship classes in January through April.
The March 11 workshop will be devoted to “Food Service Marketing: Your Customers Can’t Buy From You If They Can’t Find You.” Those exploring the food service industry will have an opportunity to learn various ways to market their food business to improve their chances of success.
On April 8, the topic of “Keeping Your Food Truck Business Running” will take a closer look at the need for flexibility and proper planning. “Imagine putting wheels on a restaurant you built,” said Chow. “There are things that will fall, slip, break down, move or not work when you add in the mobility of a food truck operation. Learn how things will end up on the floor when you arrive at your destination when not properly secured or planned.”
Participants in the program will also be required to sign up as clients of the VGCC Small Business Center, which is free of charge.
The deadline to register for each class is one week prior to the date of the class. For more information and to register, contact the VGCC Small Business Center at (252) 738-3240 or smallbusiness@vgcc.edu.
Vance Co. Properties Committee to Discuss REO Properties at Jan. 2 Meeting
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Executive Assistant/Clerk to Board, Vance County Board of Commissioners
Vance County’s Properties Committee is scheduled to meet Wednesday, January 2, 2019, at 4 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Room of the Vance County Administration Building located at 122 Young Street in Henderson.
The committee will discuss REO properties and possible minimum bid amounts.
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/by LarryHabanero Grill Arsonist Caught on Camera; Reward Offered for Info. Leading to Arrest
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Marcus Barrow, Chief of Police, Henderson Police Department
In conjunction with the Henderson Fire Department and with assistance from the SBI, the Henderson Police Department is seeking the assistance of the public in the investigation of a Breaking and Entering, Larceny, and Arson case.
In the early morning hours of Monday, December 17, an individual broke the window out of Habanero Grill, located at 116 Parham Road, and entered the business. Once inside, the suspect broke into a small safe and took the contents. Prior to exiting the business, a fire was started that caused tremendous damage to the local business.
A similar fire destroyed Mazatlán Mexican Restaurant on November 27, but cause and origin are still under investigation by the previously mentioned agencies.
Below is a snapshot of the suspect inside the business of Habanero Grill. If anyone has information or an anonymous tip, they are encouraged to contact the Henderson Police Department at (252) 438-4141 or Crime Stoppers at (252) 492-1925. A cash reward of up to $2,000 is offered for information leading to the arrest of this individual.
Businesses are strongly encouraged to set their alarms and or install alarms to assist in notifying authorities of crimes in progress. Vigilance is essential to these cases.
In the early morning hours of Monday, December 17, an individual (pictured here) broke the window out of Habanero Grill, located at 116 Parham Road, and entered the business. If anyone has information or an anonymous tip, they are encouraged to contact the Henderson Police Department at (252) 438-4141 or Crime Stoppers at (252) 492-1925.
Vance Co. DSS Selects 44 Children for This Year’s ‘Shop With A Cop’ Event
/by WIZS Staff-Information courtesy Sheri Moss, Vance County Dept. of Social Services
WIZS News is pleased to provide additional details regarding the annual Shop With A Cop event. In addition to the $6,000 raised in a fundraiser sponsored by the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce and Maria Parham Health, the Vance County Department of Social Services plays a large role in making the annual event a success.
Vance Co. DSS partners with local law enforcement, donates money towards Shop With A Cop and selects the children who participate in the experience through a referral process.
Once the referral process is complete, the committee, comprised of law enforcement and DSS staff, reviews the applications and selects the families/children for Shop With A Cop. This year there are 44 children that will be shopping on Thursday, December 20.
Children that are not selected for Shop With A Cop are matched up with sponsors who contact the agency. This year, over 100 children will be serviced through sponsorships.
Without the sponsorships, as well as donations, Christmas Cheer and Shop With a Cop would not be a success!
Re-Elected Board of Education Members Sworn In to New Terms
/by John C. RoseAt the meeting of the Vance County Board of Education Monday night, Board of Education members who were re-elected in November were sworn in to serve new four-year terms.
Those receiving the oath were Gloria J. White, Ruth Hartness, Margaret Ellis and Darlynn Oxendine. The Honorable Henry Hight, Jr. administered the oath of office.
Each of the incumbent Democrats was unopposed in the general election.
In the May primary, Margaret Ellis defeated challenger Omega Perry with 75.92 percent of the votes. Ruth Hartness defeated Marcia Allen in the primary by earning 68.85 percent of the votes.