Warren County Board Chair Elected to NCACC As Second Vice-President

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— Warren County Press Release

Warren County, North Carolina- Warren County is pleased to announce that Warren County Board of Commissioners Chairman, Tare “T” Davis, was elected as Second Vice President of the North Carolina Association of County Commissioners during the 114th Annual Conference on Saturday, August 14, 2021.

This is a great accomplishment for Commissioner Davis and Warren County, as it relates to Warren County being represented in the organization that develops policy and directly advocates on behalf of the 100 counties of North Carolina and its residents.

When speaking about the accomplishment, Commissioner Davis stated that he is “very humbled” by the opportunity to serve as Second Vice President of the NC Association of County Commissioners (NCACC).

“This opportunity is not about me as an individual, but it has everything to do with the work that the Board of Commissioners is doing and the feedback we receive from our residents,” stated Davis. “Warren County being represented in this organization is important, so that Warren County has a seat at the table when statewide policies impacting counties are being developed.”

“We are continuously working to improve the quality of life for Warren County from recent economic development project announcements, such as Glen Raven, and new residential development, to this opportunity with NCACC,” said Davis. “These accomplishments are all results of different tools in the tool box that we are using to change conditions for the better here in Warren County.”

Additionally, with Davis in this position, it is likely that this will serve as a pathway for Warren County to be represented in the role of NCACC President in the coming years.

NCACC is the official voice of all 100 counties on issues considered by the NC General Assembly, NC Congress, and federal and state agencies. The Association provides expertise to counties in the areas of advocacy, research, risk management, and education and leadership training.

Warren County is an NCACC member and benefits from participation in the organization in areas including: advocacy, education and conferences, risk management programs, research and data on policy issues, legal consultation and communication tools to help share the stories of North Carolina’s 100 counties.

Vance County High School

SportsTalk: Frances Excited About Fall Sports at Vance County High

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“I was surprised at the offer,” new Assistant Athletic Director Christine Frances said about Vance County High School after they contacted her about the position. In fact, the position didn’t even exist until recently.  With Athletic Director Joe Sharrow also taking on the Assistant Principal’s job at the school the athletic programs needed an extra set of eyes and Frances was chosen.

Frances says that in addition to football, which kicks off Friday night, the school has women’s volleyball, cross country, women’s golf, men’s soccer and cheerleading either underway or about to be.

“Coaches are thrilled to be back to something close to normal,” she said. Many sports last year struggled during a season dominated by Covid. She said this year should be better and that it will “feel more like a sports season.”

Fans will be allowed to games this year but Frances stressed that social distancing as much as possible is one way to keep everyone safe. She also said masks should be worn particularly in the ticket and concession areas. Safety is a top priority of the school.

Frances also took a moment during her appearance on SportsTalk with Trey Snide to congratulate Joe Sharrow.  Sharrow was named as a NIAAA Certified Athletic Administrator this week.

For complete details and audio click play.

SportsTalk: Pender Ready to Kick the Football Season Off

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It’s an exciting time of year for new Vance County High School Head Football Coach Wilbur Pender. Friday night kicks off the 2021 season against long-time rival Warren County. Going into the contest Pender is looking forward to the atmosphere and for plenty of fans to show up in the stands at Viper Stadium.  Last season most teams played with no fans or a very few fans in the stands due to Covid, but it will be different Friday night, and Coach Pender is looking for those fans to be loud and help create the atmosphere that will help notch the first “W” of the season against the Eagles.

Pender has only been at the school for three weeks, and his first practice with the team was August 2nd. Off season was solid but not as long as Pender would have liked. He feels the team would have benefitted from more 7-on-7 practices to allow the timing on both sides of the ball to be better. Despite his late arrival to the Vipers, he is still enthusiastic. “I am excited to see all the players,” Pender said. He spotlighted running back Carl Stephens and QB Isarael Terry as two players who will play a big role for the Vipers this season.

Pender says the Vipers have kids who can run and kids who can catch and that he and his staff, which includes some new faces mixed in with returning staff, have to put the players in a position where they can be successful. He’s also looking to have some fun along the way. “Football should not be a job or a chore. We want the kids to love being here,” Pender said.

While Pender certainly has his eyes on the Won – Loss column, he says there is more to it than victories on the field. “My philosophy is to build great young men for life, preparing kids for almost anything they will encounter.”

The Vipers will take on Warren County at 7pm Friday night at Viper Stadium.  If you cannot attend, but sure to tune it to 1450 AM / 100.1 FM or click on Listen Live at wizs.com.

For complete details and audio click play.

 

Henderson City Council Adopted FY 21-22 Budget with No Budget Sessions or Public Discussion

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— This story is in audio form only. Click Play.

TownTalk: Henderson Fire Dept. Holds Its Own Despite Challenges

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Firefighters, just like everyone else, have been affected by COVID-19 and the restrictions that have been in place for the last year and a half. But unlike so many other workers, firefighters can’t work from home or respond to fire calls virtually.

Henderson Fire Chief Steve Cordell said his department has faced challenges during the pandemic but he praised his team of firefighters for their loyalty and dedication to their jobs.

“We’ve seen a lot of turnover here recently,” Cordell told John C. Rose on Thursday’s Town Talk. Some staff have moved to jobs in related fields and others have decided to take a completely different line of work.

Listen Here

After a dip in the number of calls at the onset of the pandemic, he said the department is again responding to an average of 250 calls each month – about 60 percent are medical-related and about 40 percent are fire and rescue calls.

Cordell said his firefighters get good information from the dispatchers, who know the right questions to ask to learn if anyone is COVID-positive that firefighters may come into contact with when they go out on a call.

“We treat everyone as if they are a positive case,” he said, and his firefighters will wear a mask when they are off duty and in public, just to make sure that everyone is staying safe.

As the fire department works to recruit and retain firefighters in the short-term, Cordell said he is hopeful that plans for construction of a third station in west Henderson also will come to fruition.

“We’re still on the table,” he said of the plans for the new station. He and others have been taking with developers and looking at different spots to purchase.

He also said plans to reorganize and reclassify some departments and positions within the department should be brought to City Council for consideration next month.

Battalion Chief Joel Bartholomew is leaving after 15 years of service to become director of emergency services in his native Warren County, a move Cordell called “bittersweet.” He called Bartholomew a loyal and dedicated employee, and added “watching him develop and grow has been a blessing and an honor.”

One step toward “normal” for the department involves Capt. Lee Edmonds, who works with fire prevention education. The pandemic put the brakes on firefighters getting into schools to talk with children about fire prevention. With the start of school just around the corner, Cordell said everyone’s looking forward to restart the “Read A Book With A Firefighter” program. Firefighters read with kindergartners, help them with homework and just enjoy time with young learners.

Cordell said he has a great team who is working hard every day “to keep our feet grounded and trucks staffed and moving to help the people of Henderson.”

LEAP Grants Awarded for the 2021-2022 Year; Funded by VCPSF & Mako Medical

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— submitted by Vance County Schools

Learning Extending Actual Performance, also known as Leap Grants, were established through the Vance County Public School Foundation as a way to assist teachers in goal oriented projects to extend and enrich the lives of our students.

This year, we were fortunate to have Mako Medical match the $5,000 that the Vance County Public School Foundation earmarked for the LEAP grants, extending the ability to provide $10,000 in LEAP grants. A committee was formed to evaluate the applications, with all names and schools redacted. Each application was reviewed carefully and looked over with fidelity to ensure that those being awarded met all of the criteria and goals. After careful evaluation, 5 projects were selected to receive a 2021-2022 LEAP Grant.

Vance County Schools is extremely grateful for both the Vance County Public School Foundation and Mako Medical for making this possible!

Our first educator honored is for a project entitled, Operation Ukulele! Operation: Ukulele! is a project for a class set of twenty-five ukuleles that involves the entire student population of Aycock Elementary (K-5). A class set of ukuleles will not only increase the knowledge, wealth, and importance of learning an instrument but it will also strengthen sight-reading and rhythmic skills week after week! My classroom instruction not only enhances because of them, but as a result, music classes immerse themselves in collaborative music ukulele ensembles! Congratulations to Mr. Matt Moore of Aycock Elementary.

The second educator being awarded is for a project known as Fitness Drumming. Fitness Drumming is a highly engaging, non-traditional fitness activity. Students use rhythm sticks or drumsticks to drum out beats and patterns on stability balls while also performing exercises. It is a great way to get student’s heart rates up while also having fun improving coordination with musical beat and rhythm development. The cross curricular activity incorporates music and physical education. Congratulations to Mr. Dan Sandlin of Dabney Elementary.

The next educator awarded is for the Angelfish Bloggers project. Angelfish Bloggers welcome writers “under the sea” to learn the process of writing as a vital part of communicating. This theme will promote the joy of organizing topics and information to develop digital platforms to communicate clearly and coherently as 21st Century learners. Blogging will be a primary publishing platform along with emails, Google docs, and Google slides. The Simplify Writing Comprehensive Writing Program will be the primary tool of assessment and daily instruction along with a few mentor texts splashed in to keep students engaged and “swimming with the flow”! Congratulations to Mrs. Rachel Brown of Aycock Elementary!

Our next awardee is for a project entitled Modern Spaces, which is the alignment of researched based best practices and innovative technological tools in the classroom, maximizing student achievement. This project will foster an environment of inquiry and ultimately improve students’ achievement in English Language as they prepare for college & career in the 21st century. Ultimately, as a modern teacher, teaching has to be about helping students make connections to the real world and there is no better way to help them to do that than through the use of instructional technology. Congratulations to Ms. Marsha Harvey of Vance County High School.

Our last awardee is for a Modern Physical Learning Environment project. The goal of this project is to transform a classroom from an old-fashioned, teacher-centric space to a versatile, functional, modern learning environment by replacing student desks with a set of tables and chairs that connect and separate to adapt to varied learning tasks and modalities. Congratulations to Peter Hasselberg of Vance County High School.

We are excited for each of our awardees and how their projects will make a difference in the lives of our students!

JF Webb Student’s Artwork Selected For NACo 2022 Calendar

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A local teenager’s artwork has been chosen from entries submitted from across the country for a 2022 calendar that will be distributed across the country by the National Association of Counties (NACo).

Brim Royster, a junior at J.F. Webb High School, is one of 18 winners selected from a pool of entries submitted through local county governments across the nation. The “I Love My County Because…” art competition, sponsored by NACo, was held for students in grades 1 through 12, who were asked to explain in words and in art why “their county matters.” Royster’s entry depicts his strong family connections in the area.

J.F. Webb High School art teacher Ophelia Staton was recently notified of the selection, according to a statement from Lynn Allred, Granville County’s public information officer.

“I am so excited for Brim and for our art program,” Staton said in the statement. “We have some talented students, and this recognition means so much for our school and – of course – for Brim. We are very proud of him. His talent is sure to take him very far.”

Students from J.F. Webb, Tar River Elementary and Creedmoor Elementary submitted artwork for the 2021 competition, which was introduced this year as part of the “Counties Matter” campaign. All entries are currently on display at the Harris Exhibit Hall of the Granville County Historical Society Museum, 1 Museum Lane in Oxford.

In addition to being featured in the NACo calendar, Royster will receive prizes and a certificate, as well as having his artwork published in the NACo newspaper “County News,” which is distributed to county members in all 50 states. More than 3,000 U.S. counties are active NACo members, including Granville County Government.

“Granville County was well represented in this contest,” said Sue Hinman, chair of the Granville County board of commissioners. “We thank all the students who participated, as well as the art teachers who submitted entries on behalf of their students. We are also grateful to Granville County Public Schools, who assisted us in this project.”