#hendersonnews - WIZS

Crosson Named Principal of Pinkston Street Elementary

June 14, 2018/by WIZS Staff

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Congratulations to Dr. Jacqueline Batchelor Crosson, who has been appointed as the new principal of Pinkston Elementary School.

Dr. Crosson most recently served as the assistant principal for Pinkston Street and L.B. Yancey elementary schools. She has over 20 years of experience in education with Vance County Schools.

She succeeds Heddie Somerville, who was named the new principal for Vance County Middle School for 2018-2019.

Dr. Jacqueline Batchelor Crosson is shown at right as she joins Superintendent Anthony Jackson in announcing her new appointment to Pinkston Street Elementary School staff members. (Photo courtesy Vance County Schools)

Henderson Rec. Players to Perform “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”

June 14, 2018/by WIZS Staff

-Information courtesy Crystal G. Allen, Henderson-Vance Recreation Program Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center

Get your tickets now for the Henderson Rec. Players’ summer production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”

Based on the story of Joseph and his coat of many colors from the Bible’s Book of Genesis, this uplifting and energetic musical is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2018 with lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

Under the local direction of Jo Ellen Nowell and Mark Hopper, “Joseph” will feature a large cast of all ages. Jonathan O’Geary will serve as choreographer for the production.

Performances will be held at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center on:

Friday, July 6 @ 8 p.m.

Saturday, July 7 @ 8 p.m.

Sunday, July 8 @ 2 p.m.

Saturday, July 14 @ 8 p.m.

Sunday, July 15 @ 2 p.m.

Tickets are available for $15 at the McGregor Hall Box Office, 201 Breckenridge St. in Henderson, by calling (252) 598-0662 or visiting www.mcgregorhall.org.

For more information, please contact Crystal Allen at (252) 431-6091 or email callen@ci.henderson.nc.us

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Henderson Man Sentenced to 36 Months for Felon in Possession of Firearm Charges

June 14, 2018/by WIZS Staff

-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

United States Attorney Robert J. Higdon, Jr. announced that today, LAJOHN CHAMPION, 28, of Henderson, North Carolina was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever, III to 36 months imprisonment followed by 3 years’ supervised release.

CHAMPION was named in an Indictment on November 29, 2017. On March 5, 2018, CHAMPION pled guilty to Possession of a Firearm by a Felon.

On November 17, 2017, members of the Henderson Police Department received information that CHAMPION, a previously convicted felon, was in possession of a firearm and operating a vehicle located at a gas station in Henderson.

Officers responded to the A & A Food Mart in Henderson and observed CHAMPION driving a Honda Accord. Officers, knowing CHAMPION did not possess a valid driver’s license, conducted a traffic stop of the vehicle as it turned into the driveway of a residence in Henderson. As the vehicle came to a stop, CHAMPION fled from the driver’s seat of the vehicle carrying a book bag. Officers pursued CHAMPION and, after searching the area, located CHAMPION coming out of a wooded area. CHAMPION was no longer in possession of a book bag.

In response to the foot chase, a K9 unit responded to the scene and located the book bag near a nearby residence. A search of the book bag revealed a loaded 9mm pistol. CHAMPION was arrested and transported to the Henderson Police Department. CHAMPION acknowledged the firearm belonged to him.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

In support of PSN, the United States Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of North Carolina has implemented the Take Back North Carolina Initiative. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

Investigation of this case was conducted by the Henderson Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF). Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette prosecuted this case.

News releases are available on the U. S. Attorney’s webpage at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on twitter @USAO_EDNC.

News 06/14/18

June 14, 2018/by Charlene

Henderson City Council Adopts FY 2018-19 Budget

June 13, 2018/by Kelly Bondurant

Without further ado, the Henderson City Council adopted the proposed FY 2018-19 budget at their Monday, June 11, 2018, meeting.

After hearing a brief summary of the overall budget from City Manager Frank Frazier, who thanked council members for the meetings and work sessions that were held to get to that point in the budget process, the approximately $44 million budget was approved.

Frazier said he felt encouraged about the budget thanks, in part, to an increase in the amount of sales tax collected this past fiscal year. “We were slightly ahead of projections,” Frazier reported. “Whereas some projections by different agencies increased that [collection rate] to 4%, we used a more conservative approach at 2%.”

Frazier also reported an increase in the personal/real property tax collection rate as performed by the Vance County Tax Office. “This collection helped increase our revenue projections for the upcoming year and staff worked hard over the last several years in becoming a safer workforce and obtaining a better worker’s comp rate,” said Frazier.

The increase in tax collection has also helped to offset the less than 1% lower personal property value from the previous fiscal year.

Budgeted funds for the final phase in a five-year pay class study allows for a 5% pay increase for City employees effective August 9, 2018. According to Frazier, “This helps us to reduce our turnover rate and also helps us compete with our neighboring jurisdictions.”

As previously reported to WIZS by Henderson City Councilman Garry Daeke, the turnover rate for City of Henderson employees has dropped from 20% to 5% since the implementation of the five-year study.

This year’s budget was approved with no tax rate increase, keeping the rate steady at approximately 71 cents per $100 of property value. Sanitary sewer and sanitation rates also remain unchanged.

A 5% water rate increase was approved, which will allow for the completion of several infrastructure projects with streets, water and sewer as well as equipment purchases.

As Frazier stated in previous budget documentation “Whereas not all needs are met, as in most budgets, I believe this budget represents further positive steps in areas not funded previously, which will help the City continue to grow and reach its full potential again.”

NCDOT Seeks Public Comment on Transportation Projects

June 13, 2018/by WIZS Staff

WIZS Note: The Division 5 meeting, including Durham, Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, Wake and Warren counties will be held Tuesday, June 19, 2018, from 4 – 6 p.m. at the NCDOT Division 5 Office, 2612 N. Duke St., Durham.

-Press Release, NCDOT

RALEIGH – Starting June 4, North Carolinians are invited to express their opinions about which regional and local transportation projects should be top priorities in the State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP) – a 10-year plan that identifies funding for projects and schedules them for construction.

The N.C. Department of Transportation combines data and local input to determine which projects will get built, using a formula established in the Strategic Transportation Investments (STI) law to focus funding on projects that will reduce congestion, improve safety and promote economic growth.

During a public comment period that runs from June 4 through July 9, NCDOT will collect feedback from citizens who express their views at public meetings, online, by phone or in writing.

Public Meetings

NCDOT’s 14 local transportation divisions will host informal meetings to present proposed projects and to receive public comment. The first meetings are Monday, June 4, in Winston-Salem (Division 9) and Thursday, June 7, in Aberdeen (Division 8). See below for the schedules and locations of all the public meetings.

At each meeting, citizens are invited to stop in and provide input on how the division plans to rank its project priorities. Please note that these meetings are not for maintenance projects, such as patching potholes, resurfacing roads or improving ditches.

NCDOT will provide auxiliary aids and services under the Americans with Disabilities Act for anyone with disabilities who wants to participate in the public meeting. Anyone requiring special services should contact Lauren Putnam, Public Involvement Officer, at 919-707-6072 or by email at lnputnam1@ncdot.gov as early as possible so that these arrangements can be made.

Other Ways to Participate

In addition to the public meetings, NCDOT is offering other options for citizens to provide input starting Monday, June 4, through the STI website (ncdot.gov/sti). Citizens can complete a short, interactive survey to identify priority projects, or send a message to their local division planning engineer.

The online survey features an interactive state map with the proposed projects up for funding. Citizens can review project information and provide feedback on which projects they think are important.

The STI website provides the phone numbers and postal addresses of local division planning engineers, for citizens who want to comment on transportation projects by telephone or mail.

In April, NCDOT released data scores for more than 2,100 transportation improvement projects across the state, in the first round of an evaluation process to determine which projects will be scheduled for construction. Also in April, NCDOT identified 77 high-scoring Statewide Mobility projects that will be programmed for funding over the next decade.

Next Steps

After the comment period ends on July 9, NCDOT will combine the data scores and local input to produce the total project scores. A draft list of the top-scoring Regional Impact projects is scheduled for release in August. A similar process for local input will take place in the fall for local Division Needs projects.

Once all project scores are finalized, the top-scoring projects will be programmed for construction based on available funding. Other factors may determine whether a project ultimately moves to construction, including the completion of environmental and engineering plans, corridor spending limits prescribed by law, and other federal and state funding restrictions.

This information will be used to create the next STIP for the years 2020-2029. NCDOT will release a draft STIP for public comment in January 2019. The final 2020-2029 STIP is expected to be adopted by the N.C. Board of Transportation in June 2019.

The STI law, enacted in 2013, established a data-driven process that allows NCDOT to invest transportation dollars more efficiently and effectively. NCDOT updates the STIP approximately every two years to ensure that it accurately reflects the state’s current financial situation.

Meeting Dates and Locations

JUNE 14, 5-7 P.M. – EDENTON
(DIVISION 1: Camden, Currituck, Dare, Gates, Pasquotank, Perquimans, Bertie, Hertford, Northampton, Chowan, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell and Washington counties)
NCDOT Division 1 Office
113 Airport Drive
Edenton, N.C. 27932
JUNE 12, 4-6 P.M. – KINSTON
(DIVISION 2: Beaufort, Carteret, Craven, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Pamlico and Pitt counties)
NCDOT Division 2 Office
2815 Rouse Road Ext.
Kinston, N.C. 28504
JUNE 12, 5-7 P.M. – CASTLE HAYNE
(DIVISION 3: Brunswick, Duplin, Onslow, New Hanover, Pender and Sampson counties)
NCDOT Division 3 Office
5501 Barbados Blvd.
Castle Hayne, N.C. 28429
JUNE 12, 5-7 P.M. – WILSON
(DIVISION 4: Edgecombe, Halifax, Johnston, Nash, Wayne and Wilson counties)
NCDOT Division 4 Office
509 Ward Blvd.
Wilson, N.C. 27895
JUNE 19, 4-6 P.M. – DURHAM
(DIVISION 5: Durham, Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, Wake and Warren counties)
NCDOT Division 5 Office
2612 N. Duke St.
Durham, N.C. 27704
JUNE 18, 5-7 P.M. – FAYETTEVILLE
(DIVISION 6: Bladen, Columbus, Cumberland, Harnett and Robeson counties)
NCDOT Division 6 Office
558 Gillespie St.
Fayetteville, N.C. 28301
JUNE 11, 5-7 P.M. – GREENSBORO
(DIVISION 7: Alamance, Caswell, Guilford, Orange and Rockingham counties)
NCDOT Division 7 Office
1584 Yanceyville St.
Greensboro, N.C. 27415
JUNE 7, 5-7 P.M. – ABERDEEN
(DIVISION 8: Chatham, Hoke, Lee, Montgomery, Moore, Randolph, Richmond and Scotland counties)
NCDOT Division 8 Conference Room
902 N. Sandhills Blvd.
Aberdeen, N.C. 28315
JUNE 4, 4-6 P.M. – WINSTON-SALEM
(DIVISION 9: Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Rowan and Stokes counties)
NCDOT Division 9
Conference Room
375 Silas Creek Parkway
Winston-Salem, N.C. 27127
JUNE 19, 5-7 P.M. – ALBEMARLE
(DIVISION 10: Anson, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Stanly and Union counties)
Stanly County Commissioners Meeting Room
1000 N. First St.
Albemarle, N.C. 28001
JUNE 11, 4-6 P.M. – NORTH WILKESBORO
(DIVISION 11: Alleghany, Ashe, Avery, Caldwell, Surry, Watauga, Wilkes, and Yadkin counties)
NCDOT Division 11 Office
802 Statesville Road
N. Wilkesboro, N.C. 28659
JUNE 25, 5-7 P.M. – MAIDEN
(DIVISION 12: Alexander, Catawba, Cleveland, Gaston, Iredell and Lincoln counties)
Maiden Town Hall
19 N. Main Ave.
Maiden, N.C. 28650
JUNE 14, 5-7 P.M. – BLACK MOUNTAIN
(DIVISION 13: Buncombe, Burke, Madison, McDowell, Mitchell, Rutherford and Yancey counties)
Lake Tomahawk Park
Lakeview Clubhouse
401 Laurel Circle Drive
Black Mountain, N.C. 28711
JUNE 11, 5-7 P.M. – HAYESVILLE & JUNE 12, 5-7 P.M. – MILLS RIVER
(DIVISION 14: Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Polk, Swain and Transylvania counties)
June 11: Hayesville First United Methodist Church
989 U.S. 64 Business
Hayesville, N.C. 28904

“Meet Me in the Street” in Downtown Henderson – Tomorrow!

June 13, 2018/by WIZS Staff

— courtesy Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce | John Barnes, President ~ 252-438-8414 ~ info@hendersonvance.org ~ Facebook

This year’s second “Meet Me in the Street” event, a free concert series hosted by the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, is set for TOMORROW, Thursday, June 14, 2018, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. in downtown Henderson.

Presenting sponsor for this year’s events is NC Towing & Recovery.

Tomorrow’s “Meet Me in the Street” will feature “The Castaways.” A reputable band known throughout the South, “The Castaways” posses over fifty years of experience in the beach music industry. From their beginning in Durham, NC in 1961, “The Castaways” have been pleasing audiences with their unique flavor of Beach, Soul, and Rock N’ Roll for generations of fans. With eight members on stage, “The Castaways” bring a full sound that includes live horns, versatile vocals covering a variety of music and high energy. Don’t be surprised if you hear some current country, Top-40, or a little southern-rock as well!

In addition to the live music and dancing, a kids’ section will also be included this year.

Sponsors for this year’s concert series are Duke Energy and Maria Parham Health – Gold Sponsors; BB&T, Mars Petcare, Wake Electric Membership Corporation and Walmart DC #6091 – Silver Sponsors; and 3hc, Benchmark Community Bank, Carolina Sunrock, Express Employment Professionals, Henderson-Vance Downtown Development Commission and Waste Industries – Bronze Sponsors. Contributing Sponsors are CenturyLink, Coastal Federal Credit Union, Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission, Hoyle’s Tire & Axle, NC Motorsports Park and Woodforest Bank.

Promotional Sponsors are Brewer Cycles, Fidelity Bank, Satterwhite Point Marina, Servpro and Union Bank.

The third and final concert of the season is set for Thursday, September 27, 2018, and will feature the band “Liquid Pleasure.”

All concerts are free to the public and will be held at the corner of North Garnett and Breckenridge Streets from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m. Additional sponsorship opportunities are available by contacting the Chamber at 252-438-8414 or jay@hendersonvance.org

Frances Abbot Burton Powers Fund Accepting Grant Applications

June 13, 2018/by WIZS Staff

-Press Release, North Carolina Community Foundation

The Frances Abbot Burton Powers Fund for support of the Town of Henderson will be accepting grant applications for its 2018 grants cycle, according to Preston Powers.

The endowment will make grant funds available for government entities and nonprofit organizations that benefit the Town of Henderson and have a physical location in Henderson. Grants typically range from $5,000 to $15,000.

A board of advisors will determine grant awards. Applications are available online at nccommunityfoundation.org/vance and will be accepted June 15 – July 13. All organizations will be notified by mid-August.

For further information, contact NCCF Regional Director Quinn Novels at qnovels@nccommunityfoundation.org or 919-256-6914 or visit the NCCF website at nccommunityfoundation.org.

About the Vance County Community Foundation

The Vance County Community Foundation is a growing family of philanthropic funds, resource for area nonprofits, source of grants for local causes and partner for donors. The VCCF is led by a local volunteer advisory board that helps build community assets through the creation of permanent endowments, makes grants and leverages leadership—all for the benefit of Vance County. Whatever your means or charitable goals, the VCCF makes it easy to become a philanthropist. The VCCF was founded in 1997 and is an affiliate foundation of the North Carolina Community Foundation. Board members include Fagan Goodwin (president), Anthony Adams (secretary), Sarah Webster (grants chair), Sarah Baskerville, Kay Curin, Wendy Meyer-Goodwin, Terri Hedrick and Amy Russell.

For further information, contact NCCF Regional Director Quinn Novels at 919-256-6914 or qnovels@nccommunityfoundation.org or visit the NCCF website at nccommunityfoundation.org.

About the North Carolina Community Foundation

The NCCF is the single statewide community foundation serving North Carolina and has administered more than $130 million in grants since its inception in 1988. With nearly $247 million in assets, NCCF sustains 1,200 endowments established to provide long-term support of a broad range of community needs, nonprofit organizations, institutions and scholarships. The NCCF partners with a network of affiliate foundations to provide local resource allocation and community assistance across the state. An important component of NCCF’s mission is to ensure that rural philanthropy has a voice at local, regional and national levels.

For more information, visit nccommunityfoundation.org, like us on Facebook and follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter @NCCF.