SOUTH BOSTON, Va. (March 21, 2017) – The wait is almost over. South Boston Speedway swings open the gates on its 60th season and a brand-new racing surface Saturday afternoon.
The green flag flies on the Danville Toyota Twin 100s, featuring five races in four divisions, at 2 p.m.
The track was repaved in the offseason, part of a $1 million capital improvement program, and drivers have given rave reviews of the new racing surface.
“It’s unreal how smooth the track is,” said Danny Willis Jr., a Late Model winner a year ago who tested at the .4-mile oval last Saturday. “The track didn’t seem to have a lot of grip early on, but it got better as the day went on. The more rubber that gets down, the better it is.”
Peyton Sellers discovered quickly during his first test that all the history he had on racing at South Boston was just that: history.
“You can throw your book on South Boston out the window,” said Sellers, former track champion and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion. “You’ve got to start a brand new book. We’re racing on a different compound on a different surface. It’s a whole different track. The old setups won’t work. I think first through 15 are going to be dead even when the season starts.”
Sellers added “the track is smooth as glass. I think you are going to see a lot of side-by-side racing. You aren’t going to have to manipulate the cars through the turns like we did.”
Brandon Pierce, headed into his second full season of Late Model racing, said as good as the track has been in practice sessions the last few weeks, it’s going to be even better Saturday afternoon.
“I’m looking forward to the new pavement. I think so far there are still a lot of unknowns because most of the laps turned on the new pavement have been single car runs,” said Pierce. “So, when the track goes hot Saturday for practice that will be the first time that multiple cars have been on the track. I think the track is going to be awesome then.”
Willis, who made the move up to Late Models from Limited Sportsman a year ago, won a race in 2016 and wound up sixth in the season-ending points. That move was spurred on by an increase in the Late Model purse structure that guarantees a driver $500 per race. That purse structure remains in place for 2017.
“The five-hundred to start was big last year and it’s just as big this year for us,” said Willis.
South Boston Speedway’s 60th season opens Saturday afternoon with the Danville Toyota NASCAR Whelen Late Model Twin 100s, featuring two 100-lap races for the Late Model Stock Division, a 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race, a 30-lap Budweiser Pure Stock race and a 15-lap Budweiser Hornets race.
Grandstand gates open at 12:30 p.m. with qualifying set to start at 1 p.m. The green flag falls at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children seven to 12 and admission is free for children six and under.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mike Smith
Relevant Public Relations
423.914.3009
msmith@southbostonspeedway
msmith@prrelevant.com
Home and Garden Show 03/21/17
/by CharleneJennifer Woodlief Named Maria Parham Employee of the Month
/by WIZS StaffMaria Parham Health has announced Jennifer Woodlief, HR Specialist in the Human Resources Department, as Employee of the Month for February. Jennifer has been employed at Maria Parham Health for almost 11 months and is already an example of an exceptional employee. Jennifer has lived in Vance County since she was eight years old and still calls this her home. Jennifer is married and she and her husband, Joe, have three children; Hunter and Madison who are nine and Bryson who is eight. After high school, Jennifer earned her Associates Degree in psychology from the University of Phoenix. . When she is not working, Jennifer enjoys watching her children play sports, photography, camping, hunting, fishing and painting.
Here’s what those who nominated Jenifer had to say about her:
“Jennifer always exemplifies exceptional customer service. Even when the HR department is super busy and a lot of people need many things from her, she is always nice, polite and courteous to everyone.”
“Jennifer is always willing to help any other department and is an exceptional team player.”
Words of wisdom from Jennifer:
“Always find the good in everything, every situation and every one.”
Thank you Jennifer for all you do for our hospital.
STEM Early High School Applications Due Next Thursday
/by WIZS StaffVance County Schools
For Immediate Release
March 21, 2017
The deadline for completed applications for students to enroll in the STEM Early High School for the 2017-2018 school year is Thursday, March 30.
Current Vance County Schools students who want to apply should submit their completed applications to their school counselors by Wednesday, March 29.
Other students should submit their completed applications by March 30 to the STEM Early High School on the campus of Northern Vance High School on Warrenton Road or the school system’s Administrative Services Center on Graham Avenue in Henderson.
No late applications will be accepted.
New Season, New Pavement To Greet South Boston Fans Saturday
/by WIZS StaffSOUTH BOSTON, Va. (March 21, 2017) – The wait is almost over. South Boston Speedway swings open the gates on its 60th season and a brand-new racing surface Saturday afternoon.
The green flag flies on the Danville Toyota Twin 100s, featuring five races in four divisions, at 2 p.m.
The track was repaved in the offseason, part of a $1 million capital improvement program, and drivers have given rave reviews of the new racing surface.
“It’s unreal how smooth the track is,” said Danny Willis Jr., a Late Model winner a year ago who tested at the .4-mile oval last Saturday. “The track didn’t seem to have a lot of grip early on, but it got better as the day went on. The more rubber that gets down, the better it is.”
Peyton Sellers discovered quickly during his first test that all the history he had on racing at South Boston was just that: history.
“You can throw your book on South Boston out the window,” said Sellers, former track champion and NASCAR Whelen All-American Series champion. “You’ve got to start a brand new book. We’re racing on a different compound on a different surface. It’s a whole different track. The old setups won’t work. I think first through 15 are going to be dead even when the season starts.”
Sellers added “the track is smooth as glass. I think you are going to see a lot of side-by-side racing. You aren’t going to have to manipulate the cars through the turns like we did.”
Brandon Pierce, headed into his second full season of Late Model racing, said as good as the track has been in practice sessions the last few weeks, it’s going to be even better Saturday afternoon.
“I’m looking forward to the new pavement. I think so far there are still a lot of unknowns because most of the laps turned on the new pavement have been single car runs,” said Pierce. “So, when the track goes hot Saturday for practice that will be the first time that multiple cars have been on the track. I think the track is going to be awesome then.”
Willis, who made the move up to Late Models from Limited Sportsman a year ago, won a race in 2016 and wound up sixth in the season-ending points. That move was spurred on by an increase in the Late Model purse structure that guarantees a driver $500 per race. That purse structure remains in place for 2017.
“The five-hundred to start was big last year and it’s just as big this year for us,” said Willis.
South Boston Speedway’s 60th season opens Saturday afternoon with the Danville Toyota NASCAR Whelen Late Model Twin 100s, featuring two 100-lap races for the Late Model Stock Division, a 50-lap Limited Sportsman Division race, a 30-lap Budweiser Pure Stock race and a 15-lap Budweiser Hornets race.
Grandstand gates open at 12:30 p.m. with qualifying set to start at 1 p.m. The green flag falls at 2 p.m.
Tickets are $10 for adults, $5 for children seven to 12 and admission is free for children six and under.
MEDIA CONTACT:
Mike Smith
Relevant Public Relations
423.914.3009
msmith@southbostonspeedway
msmith@prrelevant.com
Town Talk 03/21/17
/by CharleneCooperative Extension with Wayne Rowland 03/21/17
/by CharleneVGCC puts Associate in Arts degree on fast track
/by WIZS StaffVance-Granville Community College is introducing a new way for students to complete the first two years of a four-year degree on an accelerated timetable.
Starting with the fall semester that begins in August 2017, students will have the option to earn the 60-credit-hour Associate in Arts (College Transfer) degree in just three semesters: fall, spring and summer. Under the standard pathway currently in place, full-time students typically complete the Associate in Arts in five or six semesters (while taking courses in the summer on a part-time basis).
“The VGCC Division of Arts and Sciences is very excited to be able to offer a new accelerated pathway for the Associate in Arts,” said Cynthia Young, the college’s dean of arts and sciences. “This will allow dedicated students the ability to complete a two-year degree in just one year and quickly move on to a four-year university.”
The new pathway will be rigorous, with students taking a combination of 16-week and eight-week courses. For example, during the fall semester, students on the accelerated schedule will take two courses over the entire 16 weeks, four other courses during the first eight weeks and three others during the second eight weeks. A student would take a maximum of six courses at any one time. Only three courses would be required in the eight-week summer term.
Some required courses will be taken online, while others may be taken either online or in the traditional face-to-face format.
Students must first either complete or place out of any developmental coursework in order to complete the degree on this schedule.
The Associate in Arts (A.A.) is ideally suited for students who want to pursue bachelor’s degrees in communication, education, humanities, fine arts, languages, and social and behavioral sciences. Students in the program complete essentially the same required general education courses that they would take at most four-year universities and colleges. Graduates with an A.A. who make a grade of “C” or better in every course are assured of admission into one of the 16 universities in the University of North Carolina system, usually transferring in with junior ranking.
In the past few years, the comprehensive articulation agreements between all North Carolina community colleges, the UNC System and the private N.C. Independent Colleges and Universities have been revised with clearer pathways, simplifying the transfer of credits for both A.A. and Associate in Science (A.S.) graduates.
Registration for the fall semester at VGCC is currently ongoing, and ends on Aug. 10.
For more information on the accelerated pathway, contact Oluwunmi Ariyo at (252) 738-3270 or ariyo@vgcc.edu.
–VGCC–
Citizens Aligned to Take Back Henderson Addresses Urban Homesteading Program
/by WIZS StaffAt a recent Henderson City Council Meeting the council voted to establish an Urban Homesteading Program pursuant to NCGS 160A-457.2. There is a possibility a few of the abandoned houses that are currently owned by the county/city could qualify for this program. The next step is to develop procedures and policies to ensure the program is administered fairly.
The statue reads as follows:
A city may establish a program of urban homesteading, in which residential property of little or no value is conveyed to persons who agree to rehabilitate the property and use it, for a minimum number of years, as their principal place of residence. Residential property is considered of little or no value if the cost of bringing the property into compliance with the city’s housing code exceeds sixty percent (60%) of the property’s appraised value on the county tax records. In undertaking such a program a city may:
(1) Acquire by purchase, gift or otherwise, but not eminent domain, residential property specifically for the purpose of reconveyance in the urban homesteading program or may transfer to the program residential property acquired for other purposes, including property purchased at a tax foreclosure sale.
(2) Under procedures and standards established by the city, convey residential property by private sale under G.S. 160A-267 and for nominal monetary consideration to persons who qualify as grantees.
(3) Convey property subject to conditions that:
a. Require the grantee to use the property as his or her principal place of residence for a minimum number of years,
b. Require the grantee to rehabilitate the property so that it meets or exceeds minimum code standards,
c. Require the grantee to maintain insurance on the property,
d. Set out any other specific conditions (including, but not limited to, design standards) or actions that the city may require, and
e. Provide for the termination of the grantee’s interest in the property and its reversion to the city upon the grantee’s failure to meet any condition so established.
(4) Subordinate the city’s interest in the property to any security interest granted by the grantee to a lender of funds to purchase or rehabilitate the property. (1987, c. 464, s. 8; 1997-456, s. 27.)
If you have questions regarding the program or the status of the procedures and policies development please contact:
City Manager, Frank Frazier at ffrazier@ci.henderson,nc.us or at 252-430-5701 or:
Development Services Director, Corey Williams at cwilliams@ci.henderson.nc.us or at 252-430-5725.
Vance County Democrats to hold convention next Saturday
/by WIZS StaffThe Vance County Democratic Party Convention will be held on Saturday, April 1st at 10:00 AM in The Vance County Commissioner’s Room on the Second Floor, Young Street in Downtown Henderson, NC.
NC Representative Terry Garrison will be the Speaker.
This building is the former Vance County Court House.
There is parking on Young Street and a parking lot to the left of the building that is accessible from Court Street.
News 03/21/17
/by Larryhttps://soundcloud.com/user-96612206/news-032117