Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

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Properties Committee to Discuss Contract for Industrial Park – Tues., Oct. 30

-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Clerk to Board/Executive Asst., County of Vance

Please be informed that the county’s properties committee (Brummitt, Taylor, Wilder) is scheduled to meet Tuesday, October 30 at 4 p.m. in the administrative conference room. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss a contract with LKC Engineering for the industrial park.

All commissioners are invited to attend.

Union Chapel United Methodist to Hold HUGE Yard Sale – Sat., Oct. 20

-Information courtesy Edward K. Woodlief, Union Chapel United Methodist Church 

Union Chapel United Methodist Church is having a huge yard sale Saturday, October 20, 2018, at Tony’s Automotive, 415 Raleigh Road, Henderson from 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Lots of Christmas items, baby items, books, clothing and miscellaneous items available.

News 10/16/18

Candidates for Vance Co. Sheriff Discuss Their Plans & Qualifications

The three candidates for Vance County Sheriff – Charles Pulley, Allen Simmons and Curtis Brame – were interviewed last week by WIZS’ John C. Rose. The prerecorded interviews were played on Monday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk in a question and answer format. The order of the candidates was determined by random selection.

Each candidate was given ten minutes to answer both base questions and to participate in an open discussion. The highlights of their responses are included below. To listen to the interviews in their entirety, please click here.

Question: What has been the focus of your campaign?

 Charles Pulley –

I’ve been trying to talk to everybody that I can in Vance County by going door-to-door, running ads in the newspaper and talking on the radio. I’m trying to get the word out that we need change in Vance County.

We need to get the drug problem under control. It’s impossible to absolutely eliminate drugs in Vance County, but we can get a hold on these drugs. Heroin has a stronghold on Vance County right now. We need to address high-level drug dealers through federal investigations, state investigations, undercover operations and search warrants. We need to hit them at every level.

Allen Simmons  –

My focus is to reach the citizens of Vance County and to introduce myself so the people can truly know who Allen Simmons is, what Allen Simmons is about and what his thoughts and plans are as sheriff.

Citizens are seeking someone with answers to solve the drug problem, the violent crime problem and to address communication issues with the community.

Curtis Brame –

 Everyone knows we have a problem with drugs throughout our community – in the city limits and in the county. My focus is on doing some rapport-building among the citizens of Vance County, then we can close that gap in communication and more crimes would be reported to the Vance County Sherriff’s Office.

The sheriff and police departments do not have enough eyes and ears to combat the issues that are going on in Vance County. We need to get our community involved, get our churches involved.

 

Question: What can the sheriff do about the issues facing Vance County?

 Charles Pulley –

 The sheriff will coordinate the efforts of his duty unit, criminal investigation unit or patrol. A sheriff has to have experience in each one of these areas, and I do. I worked 30 years at the Henderson Police Department on the patrol, criminal investigation and narcotics division. I worked 10 years with the Interagency Drug Enforcement Unit.

Drug dealers know no boundaries between city and county. The ones in the county go to the city and the ones in the city go to the county. We have to collaborate to get ahold of these problems.

 In addition to drugs, we also have a violence problem in Vance County – shootings, homicides and breaking and entering. We need to get a task force back together with the City, County and the Interagency Drug Enforcement Unit.

Allen Simmons

I would start by prioritizing the list of things that are most important to the things that are least important. I plan to break the county down into four sectors and begin to hit each sector at a time, with advance notice, so people can come out and speak with the sheriff. Then, I can begin to prioritize the needs that citizens in this county feel need to be dealt with.

As I travel the city and the county and speak to people, the most important issue is the drug problem. My goal is to begin to attack the drug problem by way of connecting with different agencies throughout our county and surrounding counties and to bring in assistance from the federal government to combat these problems. We need to begin to collaborate with other agencies because this drug problem is not centralized to just Vance County. A lot of the drugs in our county are filtered out to other counties.

My goal is to be able to work with the Henderson Police Department and Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow and to work with the federal government and state agencies to attack our problems.

I wouldn’t want to reveal a lot of information about how we are going to go about attacking it because I know there are people in the criminal element listening and I wouldn’t want to provide them with too much information.

Curtis Brame –

The first plan of action is being very proactive, getting more deputies out in our communities so they can address situations.

There is a higher concentration of drugs being sold in the city-limits than in the county. I will work with the Henderson Police Department and Chief Marcus Barrow in a team effort. We have to get the SBI involved and brainstorm this thing together because it’s bigger than being the sheriff of Vance County.

 

Question: What makes you uniquely qualified for the position?

 Charles Pulley –

I was employed with the Henderson Police Department for 30 years and was a commander with the Interagency Drug Enforcement Unit for 10 years. We worked hundreds of cases, including federal cases, and we were able to remove individuals from Vance County who were involved in high-level drug trafficking.

I have respect for both of the other candidates; they are fine guys. However, I have more experience, especially more experience in commanding a unit.

Allen Simmons

I bring in experience, knowledge and resources that we need here in Vance County. I have had the opportunity to work here in Vance County for 20 years as a police officer. For 16 of those years, I worked with the United States Government on federal cases in both Vance County and throughout the state of North Carolina.

I have a strong working relationship with the US Attorney’s Office here in the eastern district of NC. I’m a graduate of Saint Augustine’s College with a degree in organization management, so my background is in managing organizations.

I want to see a sense of unity and concern in our community. I bring that sense of concern from my heart because I do deeply care about our community.

Curtis Brame –

 I have 33 years of experience, continuing education credits and a rapport with the citizens of Vance County. I spent 31 and a half of those years with the Vance County Sheriff’s Department. I retired in 2016 with the intentions of running for sheriff. Since the day I retired, I’ve never stopped working and caring for this county.

I’m the only candidate that is still a sworn law enforcement officer. I’m the only candidate who has ever been a deputy sheriff. I’ve been in training for a long period of time. I’ve worked with three different administrators and learned a lot.

It’s more than just working drugs. Vance County Sheriff’s Department does the civil process and we have the jail. I know the ends and outs of all the procedures that go on with a sheriff’s department. Both [Charles] Pulley and [Allen] Simmons have always worked at the police department. They don’t know the duties of a sheriff – I do.

 

Open Discussion:

Charles Pulley –

People in Vance County want to see change in their community. We need to get the crime problem under control. If we can remove drugs from our county, that will remove some of the crime from our county.

We are known right now as the heroin capital of this part of the state. People are coming from Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Virginia to purchase heroin because it is plentiful and cheap.

I ask everybody to evaluate each candidate and get out and vote. Early voting begins October 17.

Allen Simmons

We are sitting on a prime spot in Vance County with I-85, US-1 and a lake. This is not just a crime issue for me, it’s more than that. It’s a complete change and a complete growth that we need here.

I want your families to be safe here in this community. Where there is unity, there is strength. That’s what we need here in our community and I will give 100% of me to make sure that sense of unity is brought back.

Curtis Brame –

I focus my energy on being the best. I stood tall and was always proud of being a deputy sheriff. My uniform was always clean. My patrol car was always clean. I’m a go-getter and a hard worker.

I care about this county. I retired in 2016 and chose to come back because I want to make a difference. I, alone, can’t make a change. Only God above can make changes. We’ve got a lot to do in this county. I feel I’m the person to motivate the deputies and my team to get the job done.

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Restores Power to Majority of Local Area

-Information courtesy Tanya Evans, District Manager, Duke Energy

Duke Energy has made tremendous progress in restoring customers’ power yesterday and this morning. I am pleased to report that we have restored power to most, and in some areas all, of our customers in Person, Vance, Granville, Warren and Franklin Counties. However, we are not letting our guard down. We will continue to work until every customer is back on, and if any additional outages occur, we still have the crews in place to respond if necessary.

I encourage you to check the online outage maps for information about any remaining outages.

Backed by more than 10,000 people from the Carolinas and at least 7 other states, we have restored more than 1.1 million customers in less than 4 days. A photo gallery has been created to show Tropical Storm Michael’s damage and restoration efforts across the Carolinas. It is available here – click on ‘Scenes from Hurricane Michael’ to view the images.

Tanya Evans

District Manager

Duke Energy

State Highway Patrol Announces ‘Operation Stop Arm’

-Press Release, North Carolina Department of Public Safety

While many schools across the state have been in operation for more than two months, the State Highway Patrol is taking proactive steps to ensure school bus safety is not overlooked.

Beginning Monday, October 15, troopers statewide will participate in Operation Stop Arm, a week-long event held each year.  Objectives of the campaign include an increase in educational programs and enforcement in and around school zones.  Throughout the week, troopers will ride on school buses and use unmarked vehicles to monitor bus routes to and from school.

“Every child should be afforded a safe means of travel as they attend their respective educational institution”, said Colonel Glenn McNeill Jr., commander of the State Highway Patrol.  “While this operation is scheduled to conclude on Friday, our efforts will continue throughout the school year.”

In partnership with the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Duke University, a PSA has been produced to raise public awareness regarding school bus safety.  The message can be located by visiting the SHP’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/122457348546/posts/10156132596588547/

H-V Chamber Logo

H-V Chamber Announces Upcoming Business After Hours, Ribbon Cutting

-Information courtesy Sandra Wilkerson, Director of Admin and Events, Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce

Business After Hours

The Corbitt Preservation Assoc./Bennett Perry Museum

180 Church Street – Henderson

5:15 to 7 p.m.

 

Ribbon Cutting/Open House

Baskerville Funeral Home, LLC

104 S. Chestnut Street – Henderson

Ribbon Cutting 10 a.m.

Open House 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Vance County High School

Vipers Take Second Win at Home

Vance County played a rare afternoon football game this week after their nonconference contest with North Lenoir was bumped from Friday night to Saturday afternoon in anticipation of Hurricane Michael’s wind and rain.  The cooler temperatures, sunshine and home field were good for the Vipers, who collected their second victory of the season over the Hawks 28-14.

VC survived four interceptions and a string of costly penalties in the second half to improve to 2-6 (2-1 Northern Carolina 2A).  After the first quarter ended with North Lenoir leading 7-0, the Viper offense took an 8-7 lead, when QB Samien Burwell scrambled 20 yards for the TD and then passed complete to Josh Joyner for the 2-point conversion.  With just seconds remaining in the first half, Burwell hit Joyner for another touchdown, but the successful 2-pointer was nullified by a holding call.

The Vipers led 14-7 at the half. Mid-way through the third quarter, Vance County extended their lead to 20-7 on a pass from Burwell to Machiah Wilson. The Hawks cut the lead to 20-14 early in the final period, but the Vipers iced the game with under 3 minutes to play when Burwell connected with Phadon Jordan in the end zone, and then hit Jordan again for the 2-point conversion.

News 10/15/18

Vance County Sheriff's Office

Don’t Miss WIZS’ Town Talk on Monday: Q&A With Vance Co. Sheriff Candidates

WIZS Henderson will present a special edition of Town Talk on Monday, October 15.

During the 30-minute show, which will begin promptly at 11 a.m., all three candidates for Sheriff of Vance County will be heard. They will each answer the same set of questions in an effort to help better inform the public on their viewpoints.

Please tune in at 1450 AM or 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com and click on “Listen Live.”