Local News 01/25/19
Local News: Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow on collaboration with other law enforcement and reassuring statistics; HPD Drug Bust; Software Glitch With Some Effects Locally on Student Grades
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Farmhouse on Glebe Rd. a ‘Total Loss’ After Evening Fire
On Wednesday evening, January 23, 2019, at approximately 7 p.m., a major fire occurred at an older two-story farmhouse on Glebe Road in Henderson. The home belongs to Wayne and Karmen Meadows. No one was reported injured, but the house is a total loss according to Vance County Fire Chief Chris Wright.
Wright said, “When the first unit got on scene, there was heavy fire on the left-hand side of the house, wrapping around towards the back. It took a while to bring it under control. The fire marshall was called, and he came out and started a preliminary investigation.”
According to Wright, Vance County Fire Marshall Keith Duncan will continue his investigation as to the origin and cause of the fire.
The house was occupied by Wayne Meadows at the time of the fire according to Wright. Meadows was forced to break a window to escape the blaze.
The Vance County Fire Department, Hicksboro Fire Department, Townsville Fire Department, Watkins Fire Department, Rescue Squad and EMS responded to the scene.
Davis, of Hamilton St. in Henderson, Arrested on Numerous Drug Charges
Press Release – Henderson Police Department
On January 23, 2019, members of the Henderson Police Department Special Operations Division along with the Special Response Team executed a search warrant at the residence of 221 Hamilton St. in Henderson, NC.
During the execution of the search warrant over 30 grams of marijuana packaged for distribution, cocaine, 70 dosage units of heroin, 8 Ecstasy pills, over $800 in US currency and five firearms, along with several rounds of ammunition, were located and seized.
Peter Anthony Davis AKA “Tony,” 58, of 221 Hamilton St. in Henderson, NC was arrested and charged. He was charged with PWIMSD SCH. I, PWIMSD SCH. II, Manufacturing Schedule I, Manufacturing Schedule II, Felony Possession of Schedule I, Felony Possession of Schedule II, Maintaining a Vehicle/Dwelling, Firearm by Felon x5 and Felony PWIMSD Controlled Substance within 1000 ft of a child care center.
His bond was set in the amount of $250,000 secured. He is scheduled to appear in court on February 5, 2019.
Peter Anthony Davis AKA “Tony,” 58, of 221 Hamilton St. in Henderson, NC was arrested and charged on January 23, 2019, with PWIMSD SCH. I, PWIMSD SCH. II, Manufacturing Schedule I, Manufacturing Schedule II, Felony Possession of Schedule I, Felony Possession of Schedule II, Maintaining a Vehicle/Dwelling, Firearm by Felon x5 and Felony PWIMSD Controlled Substance within 1000 ft of a child care center. (Photo Credit: Henderson Police Dept.)
During the execution of the search warrant at 221 Hamilton St., in Henderson, NC, over 30 grams of marijuana packaged for distribution, cocaine, 70 dosage units of heroin, 8 Ecstasy pills, over $800 in US currency and five firearms, along with several rounds of ammunition, were located and seized. (Photo Credit: Henderson Police Dept.)
Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow Talks Crime, Local Collaborations
Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow was on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss his collaboration with other law enforcement departments as well as to provide some reassuring statistics related to crime in the local area.
Barrow, who has been involved with various divisions within the Henderson Police Department for the last 20 years, said his long-standing working relationship and friendship with newly elected Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame further assists the collaboration between the two offices.
“The Sheriff and I have had a good relationship – a friendship – since I started working here in 1998,” Barrow said. “We have a mutual respect for one another and our collaborations [since Brame became sheriff] are just like we picked up where we left off.”
The two meet weekly to discuss the goings-on in their respective divisions, though Barrow admits “sometimes we just talk about life and provide that support to each other.”
Both Barrow and Brame have disclosed to WIZS that they also have a good working relationship with Mike Waters, district attorney for the 9th Judicial District which includes Vance, Granville, Franklin, Warren and Person counties.
“I’ve had a close relationship with DA Waters since the onset. I made it a priority to get to know him and to be in his office as much as possible.”
Since Waters’ time as DA, Barrow said has seen a noticeable increase in both the collaboration with detectives and departments and the number of cases tried. “We are making some really good decisions on whether cases need to stay here locally in the state court system or go federal.”
According to Barrow, the recent increase in homicide convictions alone shows that cases are being tried more effectively. “I think our numbers show that we are tough on crime. Our use of the federal system proves that we are extremely tough on crime.”
In 2018, Barrow reports that the area had 39 federal indictments and 47 executed drug search warrants. “I think they are going to bust those drug numbers wide open this year. We don’t report on all of them because they are not all so news-worthy, but I believe [the drug unit] has executed 7-8 so far this year.”
The two larger HPD drug busts that have been in the news recently include arrests made at residents on Hamilton and State Street in Henderson. Both involved various drug charges including possession of cocaine, heroin and Ecstasy in addition to the seizure of money and weapons.
While such news can make residents worry about the safety of the community, Barrow said that crime rates are actually at a 25-year low, with 2017 being the lowest year on recent record.
When looking at statistics, Barrow said it is important to remember that while crime is often unpredictable, high crime areas are often known and “hot-spot mapped” to ensure officers are spending their time where they can best keep residents safe.
Barrow also said that crime, especially crime sprees that occur within days of each other such as break-ins, are often related and can usually be traced back to the same 1-2 suspects.
When asked if he personally felt safe in the community, Barrow responded “absolutely.” He elaborated by saying that he moved his mother, a life-long resident of Zebulon, to Henderson last year and would not have done so if he did not feel she would be safe.
Upon his recommendation, Barrow’s sister also moved to the area and is now a teacher in the school system.
Encouraged by the strengthened collaborations between law enforcement offices, decreases in crime levels and the growth of Henderson’s business segment, Barrow said he is glad to call Henderson home.
“I’m proud of this city; I love this place!”
To hear the interview in its entirety, please click here.
Software Glitch Prompts Vance Co. Schools to Reassess Student Grades
Software used by multiple school systems across the state suffered a glitch in programming that resulted in miscalculated student grades recently, according to the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction.
Terri Hedrick, public information officer for Vance County Schools said the local school system was affected by the software glitch.
“We use the software for grade calculations for our high school semester grades in PowerSchool, which is the online application used by public school systems throughout the state to manage student information – from their personal information to test scores and classroom grades.”
“When we assessed our students’ grades, we found only a small number of students were affected. As we checked their first semester grades, we found that any student affected had a grade that was incorrectly increased by one point, in most cases. In all cases, no student grades were negatively affected or incorrectly calculated at a greatly inflated rate,” Hedrick explained.
According to Hedrick, the school system will continue to assess student data on a regular basis.
Corbitt Featured on WRAL’s Tar Heel Traveler; A Repeat With an Update
For the second time in as many weeks, Henderson residents were pleasantly surprised to see their hometown represented on WRAL’s Tar Heel Traveler series hosted by reporter Scott Mason.
This time, the focus was on the Corbitt Company, originally a horse buggy, and later an automobile and truck manufacturer, started by Richard J. Corbitt in Henderson in 1899. Corbitt’s were made in Vance County until the business closed around 1954.
While the clip originally aired on February 5, 2008, with commentary from Mason and Corbitt Historian Charles Powell, the recent showing included an update on the Corbitt Museum located at 180 Church St. in Henderson. The museum opened in 2015 and is available for tours by appointment only.
A followup to the original Corbitt story aired on February 24, 2010, and focused on the supposed haunting of the old Corbitt warehouse. That clip can be viewed by clicking here.
In an email to WIZS News, Mason said he always enjoys covering stories in Vance County, including the recent feature on the historic fire station in downtown Henderson.
To view the most recent Tar Heel Traveler episode featuring the Corbitt Company, please click here.
Vance Co. Early College High School Now Accepting Applications for 2019-2020
-Press Release, Vance County Schools
Vance County Early College High School is now accepting applications from students for the 2019-2020 school year.
The deadline for receiving the applications is Thursday, February 28, 2019, at 3 p.m.
Applications are available on the Early College and Vance County Schools websites or they can be picked up from the school, located on the third floor of Building 2 on the campus of Vance-Granville Community College in Henderson.
Daeke, Henderson City Councilman, Talks Dabney Dr. Rezoning
Garry Daeke, Henderson City Council member, was on Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to provide further insight into the Council’s recent discussions on the possible rezoning of three lots at the corner of Lynne Avenue and Dabney Drive in Henderson.
Currently zoned for either residential or light commercial traffic, the Council has tabled the discussion on rezoning the lots for a heavier commercial use until their next meeting in February.
Further complicating any final rezoning decision is the concern over increased traffic volume in an already congested area along with uncertainty on the NCDOT’s current plans for the restructuring of parts of Dabney Drive.
“We know traffic on Dabney Drive is pretty bad most of the time, especially on Fridays and weekend,” said Daeke. “The corner of Lynne Avenue and Dabney has some particular concerns about ingress and egress traffic. For example, when you turn right off Lynne Avenue, you turn immediately into the right lane turning into the old Henderson Mall. Traffic also has difficulty turning left there and generally has to turn right.”
Daeke said one consideration to address safety concerns would be to make the area an out parcel of the mall and design the entrance and exits of any businesses that occupy that space to be accessible only through the mall parking lot.
According to Daeke, what the DOT has planned for Dabney Drive will also play into consideration. “We hope what the DOT does to Dabney Drive will help with that area, but we need more information before making a decision.”
As of now, Henderson City Council members are aware that the DOT is focusing its Dabney Drive surveying efforts from the intersection of the old mall to Interstate 85.
While Daeke said there have been talks that the lanes near the old mall intersection will be redesigned, the Council has not yet received an indication if that includes measures such as adding medians or changing the entire structure of the traffic flow.
Looking ahead to the future, Daeke said there are additional plans for Dabney Drive that include making the current road a one-way from the corner of Oxford Road and Dabney, all the way to the interstate. This plan also includes the addition of another one-way street running parallel along the old railroad line.
As with any project, costs and logistics are major considerations. “Some properties would be affected by this plan and that issue would need to be addressed. The plan we’ve been shown includes bike and pedestrian lanes and sidewalks; it’s a beautiful plan,” said Daeke.
While up to the DOT to fund any such project, Daeke said he believes “Dabney Drive needs it for growth in the future and for safety.” He suggested the implementation of the plan would be at least 5-10 years down the road.
Remembrance:
In an aside from the main interview topic, Daeke also discussed his fond memories of the late Mary Emma Evans, a former Henderson City Council member, on the occasion of her recent birthday.
“Mary was a sweet lady and a dear friend. She always called me ‘Daeke,’ which made me laugh. She always cared so much for the community and was wonderful to work with.”
“Something that she used to always say to me that I’ll never forget is, ‘We can disagree and we can have different opinions; that doesn’t have to mean we have to be disagreeable.’ She was always about compromise and working together to find a solution. We miss her and may she rest in peace”
To hear the interview in its entirety, please click here. Daeke’s interview portion of the Town Talk segment begins at the 14:27 mark.