Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews
Commissioner Hester Calls for New Study in Vance Co. Fire Redistricting Plan
In response to a fire redistricting plan that includes switching the Vance County Fire Department and the Golden Belt Fire District to a volunteer company, no longer employing a fire chief in the county and moving existing paid staff to work at volunteer departments during the day, County Commissioner Tommy Hester told WIZS News by phone that he has major concerns.
“I don’t think it’s enough of a plan,” Hester said. “I feel you need a fire chief; the way it was proposed, it seems like they want to do away with the fire chief. That’s not a position they need to be doing away with. You need a leadership position. I’ve never heard of not having a fire chief.”
Another concern is the age of the study being quoted. “The study was done 10 years ago in 2008. Ten years ago versus where we are today is entirely different. I feel we need a professional from outside the county to give us their input,” said Hester.
Yet another concern, according to Hester, is that other locations around the state are doing the opposite of what’s currently being proposed in Vance County. Instead of focusing on volunteer efforts, other areas are increasing paid positions in an acknowledgment of the difficulty in recruiting unpaid staff.
Hester emphasized that a lot of hard work has been put into the present plan by the leadership in Vance County, but said he feels more information and research is needed. “I don’t want us moving in the wrong direction not having looked at all of the alternatives.”
It is unknown at this time how much hiring an outside consultant and conducting a study would cost, but Hester essentially makes the point that the price would be worth the knowledge obtained. “The bottom line is the more information you have, the better decision you can make.”
The Vance County Board of Commissioners’ next meeting will be held on Monday, January 7, 2019, at 6 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, 122 Young Street, Henderson.
Bench Press Fundraiser for Raegan Owen, Local Girl Battling Cancer
-Information courtesy Harry Orr, Brick Power Team
A bench press contest fundraiser will be held for Raegan (Rae Rae) Owen, a local 10-year-old girl battling cancer, at the Henderson YMCA on Saturday, February 16, 2019. The meet starts at 12 p.m.; weigh-ins from 8:30 to 11 a.m.
$5 door charge for those over age 12. Entry fee is $40 for adults; $30 for teens. Trophies will be awarded for first and second place.
For more information, please email Harry Orr at horr2553@yahoo.com or call (252) 432-4196 and leave a message. All sponsors and volunteers are welcome!
Foot Chase Breaks Outs When Suspect Flees Vance Co. Magistrate’s Office
WIZS News was sending out a Facebook Live video this afternoon about record rainfall in the local area when suddenly part of a local law enforcement foot chase unfolded in front of the camera. WIZS staff witnessed at least two deputies pursuing the suspect on foot with their guns drawn.
According to an eyewitness, who was standing outside the Vance County Magistrate Office, a man fled the Magistrate’s Office on foot at about 3:10 p.m. on Friday, December 28. According to the eyewitness, the suspect put himself into the position of nearly being struck by a Henderson Police Department vehicle while he was fleeing across Chestnut Street.
The eyewitness’ description of the suspect turned out to be spot on. WIZS News chose not to show the suspect on video as he was being returned to the Magistrate’s Office a short time later. He was, however, in plain view and easily seen.
Before 3:20 p.m. on Friday, the suspect was taken back into the Magistrate’s Office, meaning his flight, the pursuit and his capture and return all happened in less than 10 minutes of elapsed time. As it was, a uniformed person with the Vance County Sheriff’s Office was seen bringing the suspect into the Magistrate’s Office.
Shortly after the incident, Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame confirmed that the suspect was Orrie Williams who was being brought in to the Magistrate’s Office by his bail bondsman to review his bond. Upon hearing that his bond was set at $40,000, Williams fled the scene.
Williams was originally brought in for failure to appear on two outstanding warrants for arrest, including charges of Driving While Impaired, Breaking and Entering and Felony Larceny After Breaking and Entering.
Brame told WIZS News by phone that he was pleased with the “quick response and a good job by the deputies of the Vance County Sheriff’s Office.”
Fraud Prevention Tip, Courtesy the Vance County Sheriff’s Office
-Information courtesy the Vance County Sheriff’s Office’s Facebook page
Here is a Friday Fraud Prevention Tip courtesy the Vance County Sheriff’s Office:
No law enforcement agency will ever require, demand, or request payment for anything via prepaid cards of any type. There are a limited number of circumstances where a deputy will accept money, but they are all face-to-face transactions that are accompanied by a civil process. We will never call you and allow you to pay your way out of a warrant with gift cards.
Unfortunately, we have had a repeated scam where someone will contact a target claiming to be Deputy So-and-so, telling the target that there is a warrant for missing Jury Duty or some other sort of reason. The scammer will use forceful language and attempt to coerce the target to go buy prepaid cards and read the numbers off the cards to them over the phone. They keep the target on the phone while they go to the store and purchase the cards. Once they get the numbers from the cards, they distribute the numbers to conspirators who go online and transfer the balance onto other prepaid cards. The funds are then laundered again, making them difficult to track.
The phone numbers they call from are usually “spoofed” using VOIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) to appear to be local numbers. The numbers cannot be traced back to anyone because they are not “assigned” using a legitimate phone service.
Calling All Youth: Audition Date Set for ‘Charlotte’s Web’
-Information and image courtesy the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center’s Facebook page
McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center announces that upcoming auditions for “Charlotte’s Web” will be held Saturday, January 12, 2019, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Auditions will be held at McGregor Hall, 201 Breckenridge St., Henderson.
Directed by Jo Ellen Nowell, “Charlotte’s Web” is a stage play that will be performed at McGregor Hall April 5 – 7, 2019, featuring a cast with an age range of six through young adult.
Come audition for the roles of Charlotte, Wilbur, Fern, Templeton, the goose, the sheep and all your other favorites from the beloved book! All those auditioning will be asked to read lines from the script. No prepared pieces will be necessary.
O’Geary to Perform at McGregor Hall’s ‘A Tribute to Sam Watkins’
-Information and photo courtesy the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center’s Facebook page
Audiences fell in love with Henderson’s own Jonathan O’Geary this past fall as “The Beast” in McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center’s hit production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” Hear his beautiful voice once more on Sunday, January 6, 2019, at 2 p.m. as the featured guest soloist during “A Tribute to Sam Watkins – An Afternoon of American Music.”
Buy your tickets today (click here) as a holiday treat to yourself or someone you love!
This concert is part of the “Music at McGregor” series sponsored by the Henderson Community Concerts Association. A 13-piece chamber orchestra of the area’s finest musicians will present the original “Appalachian Spring” of Aaron Copland and will premiere “Remembrance,” a work written by Philip Young in memory of McGregor Hall’s founder, Sam Watkins.
(This is not a paid advertisement)
Audiences fell in love with Henderson’s own Jonathan O’Geary this past fall as “The Beast” in McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center’s hit production of “Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.” Hear his beautiful voice once more on Sunday, January 6, 2019, at 2 p.m. as the featured guest soloist during “A Tribute to Sam Watkins – An Afternoon of American Music.” (Photo courtesy McGregor Hall)
Community Partnership for Pets to Expand Operations in 2019
-Information courtesy Community Partnership for Pets, Inc.
Community Partnership for Pets, Inc. (CPPI) started our new statewide spay/neuter mission on July 1, 2017. We are currently working with nine counties with additional counties coming on-board in 2019.
Our work includes setting up, funding and managing spay/neuter programs in poor, rural NC counties. We work side-by-side with county-run animal shelters, as they are responsible for handling all the stray and unwanted dogs and cats in their county.
The Vance County Animal Shelter works each day to ensure as many dogs and cats as possible are able to find loving, forever homes. They realize that adoption/placement alone is not the answer. Spay/Neuter is key in reducing the steady flow of unwanted animals coming into the shelter. Working with local veterinarians in the county, plus a mobile spay/neuter van that travels to the county once a month, VCAS and CPPI are steadily increasing the number of spay/neuter surgeries that are completed each month.
Every dollar donated to CPPI is important.
A $5 donation will vaccinate a dog or cat for rabies; $35 will neuter and vaccinate a male cat; $100 will spay/neuter, vaccinate and microchip a dog.
Join us in 2019 as we help more people and more pets across North Carolina.
For more information about all of our work, please visit our website.
(This is not a paid advertisement)