Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

VGCC Trustee L. Opie Frazier Jr. Awarded Order of the Long Leaf Pine

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Retiring Vance-Granville Community College Trustee L. Opie Frazier, Jr., of Henderson, the longest-serving Trustee in the history of the college, was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine at the July 16 meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Members of his family gathered with Trustees in the Board Room on the Main Campus at the start of the meeting for a surprise presentation honoring Frazier’s 41 years of service.

“There is only one L. Opie Frazier, Jr. … During his tenures, Mr. Frazier could be counted on for strong leadership and support of the college,” said Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the college president, who presented the award on behalf of North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper.

Appointed by then Gov. Bob Scott in 1971, Frazier began service while the college was still named Vance County Technical Institute and was occupying the former Maria Parham Hospital building on Chestnut Street in downtown Henderson.

L. Opie Frazier, Jr., center, poses with his Order of the Long Leaf Pine award received from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and presented to Frazier on July 16 by Vance-Granville Community College President Dr. Stelfanie Williams. With him are Dr. Williams, left, and VGCC Board of Trustees Chair Danny W. Wright. (VGCC Photo)

“He was here when the college expanded to include Granville County and became Vance-Granville Technical Institute, and he helped lead the college into a four-county service institution, embracing Franklin and Warren counties, with a community college status,” Dr. Williams said.

He served during his first tenure until 1996, leaving the board then while his wife was serving as a nursing instructor at VGCC. He returned in 2002 after being reappointed by the Vance County Board of Education.

“It has been a privilege,” said Frazier, who, visibly moved by the honor, first described himself as speechless but continued, “I have received a whole lot more by serving on this board than I have given. And I think when each of you (fellow Trustees) leave the board you will be able to say the same thing.

“Serving on the board has been one of the joys of my life,” Frazier said. “To be involved in the growth of this institution and to see the benefit that it has paid to our citizens, and when you see people who have jobs here, good jobs, because of having attended this institution, you just can’t be anything but proud of what this institution has been able to provide for our people. Those of you who are still serving, keep it up. Keep it up!”

In her presentation, Dr. Williams noted that Frazier has led several committees of the Board of Trustees and has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the college’s Endowment Fund. “He has provided responsible leadership as Vance-Granville’s Endowment has awarded more than 9,000 scholarships since its inception,” she said.

The family of L. Opie Frazier, Jr., was on hand as the VGCC Trustee was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine certificate from North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. From left are Gary Frazier of Henderson, Frazier’s son; Katherine Frazier, his wife; Randy Thompson, his son-in-law; Frazier; Pamela Frazier Thompson, his daughter; Rebecca Payne, his granddaughter, who is the daughter of the Thompsons; Gregory Scott, his son-in-law; and Gayle Frazier Scott, his daughter. He also has three other grandchildren, Laura Ferrara, Sadie Scott and Peggy Scott, and a great-grandchild. (VGCC Photo)

She added, too, that he has been committed to the local community in other ways as well — a member of the Henderson City Council, a president of the Henderson Kiwanis Club, a church deacon at First Baptist Church of Henderson, a member of the Salvation Army advisory board, and a charter member of the United Way of Vance County’s board of directors.

Frazier is among only a half dozen community college trustees in the state who have served more than 40 years, according to the North Carolina Association of Community College Trustees.

“We’ve been able to count on Mr. Frazier for thoughtful and sound advice,” said Trustee Chair Danny W. Wright, who was among those who nominated Frazier for the Long Leaf Pine honor. “He has brought to our discussions an historical perspective that has helped up make good decisions, and he has demonstrated a desire to see the college take on new projects to meet the changing needs of the four counties of Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren served by the college.”

The Rev. Marion D. Lark, former pastor of First Baptist, also making a nomination to the governor, wrote, “Humility and kindness are significant hallmarks of Opie Frazier. He has many other fine qualities as a family man, a businessman, community leader and churchman, but none surpass humility and kindness, which he exhibits to everyone day in and day out.”

Frazier and his wife, Katherine, have three children, Gary Frazier of Henderson, Pam Thompson of Burlington and Gayle Scott of Burlington. They have four grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

Frazier’s term expired this year and a new appointment will be made by the Vance County Board of Education.

I Voted Sticker

Voting Informational to be Held at Perry Memorial Library, Sat., July 21

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-Information courtesy Tiarra Mosley, Campaign Manager, Committee for Allen Simmons for Vance County Sheriff 

Voting Informational
Saturday, July 21, 2018
12 – 2 p.m.
To be held in the boardroom of the H. Leslie Perry Memorial Library, 205 Breckenridge St., Henderson
Free and open to the public

The voting informational will inform citizens about the new voting requirements and will encourage attendees to register to vote.

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Lunch Break to Educate: Canva for Your Small Business

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

Lunch Break to Educate

Introduction to Canva for Your Small Business

Learn how to create flyers, business cards, web postings and more. This is a hands-on session.

11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Register online at www.vgcc.edu/schedules/small-business-center

News 07/17/18

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Restricting Downtown Business Hours Topic of Today’s Public Hearing

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The Henderson Planning Board held a public hearing at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon in the City Hall Council Chambers to discuss restricting hours of operation for nightclubs, taverns, lounges and dance halls in the downtown Henderson business district.

The Henderson Police Department, in conjunction with Development Services staff, made the request to restrict hours of operation in the B-1, Central Business District.

The request adds language to the existing ordinance regulating the hours of operation for nightclubs, taverns, lounges and dance halls in the B-1 district to Sunday through Thursday from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 a.m. to midnight.

The request also stipulates that restaurants obtain a special-use permit if they provide live music or dancing.

Language has also been added to allow businesses established prior to construction of residential properties to be grandfathered in under zoning requirements until the business undergoes a change in ownership or in business type.

Hotels and motels are excluded from these particular zoning requirements.

The ordinance as it reads on the Henderson Planning Board’s agenda is outlined below. Type in red indicates proposed changes to Ordinance 18:

ORDINANCE 18

TEXT AMENDMENT TO AMEND ARTICLE 600B: SUPPLEMENTARY USE REGULATION SECTION 652B: NIGHT CLUBS, TAVERNS, LOUNGES & DANCE HALLS.

The City Council of the City of Henderson, North Carolina ordains: That the following section be amended/added to the City Zoning Code:

Section 652B: Night Clubs, Taverns, Lounges and Dance Halls

652B.1 Location and Hours

No night club, tavern or lounge (except night clubs, taverns or lounges with 25,000 square feet of individual building floor area that are located within a shopping center with at least 100,000 square feet of total area) shall be located within a radius of 500 feet of any school, church, hospital, funeral home, domiciliary home, rooming house, residential dwelling unit or residential zoning district.

Hours of operation in a B-1 (Central Business District) Sunday thru Thursday from 4 AM to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday 4 AM to midnight. In the event restaurant provides live music and/or dancing a special use permit is required. Any place of business that was established prior to construction of residential properties within this area shall be grandfathered under this zoning requirement until such time a business changes owners or business type. Hotels and motels are also excluded.

652B.2 State Standards

Any night club, tavern or lounge shall demonstrate that it can meet the standards for on-premises ABC Permit under Chapter 18, Article 10 of the North Carolina General Statutes in the event that any alcoholic beverages are to be consumed on the premises.

652B.3 Noise

Every night club, tavern or lounge shall be designed and constructed as to prevent unreasonably loud noise from emanating beyond the premises in such a manner that they would disturb nearby uses.

652B.4 Dance Halls

Dance halls serving alcoholic beverages shall be deemed to be a nightclub. Dance Halls serving no alcoholic beverages shall not meet the locational or State standards set forth in subsections 652B.1 and 652B.2 but shall meet the noise requirements set forth in section 652B.3

652B.5 Banquet Facilities/Event Center

No banquet facilities/event center shall be located in a radius of two hundred fifty (250) feet from any school, church, residential dwelling unit or residential district measured from the occupied/rentable space.

The requirements and restrictions of Section 10-30 (a) through (e) of the City of Henderson, North Carolina Code shall apply to the uses permitted by this section. (Amended 12/12/16).

Theft From Construction Site of Henderson Collegiate School

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-Press Release, Henderson Police Department

On July 8, 2018, it was reported to members of the Henderson Police Department that a large equipment battery and 300 feet of cypress lumber were stolen from the construction site of Henderson Collegiate School, 1071 Old Epsom Road, Henderson. The Henderson Police Department is asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the suspect(s) involved in this case.

Please contact the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141, Crime Stoppers at 252-492-1925, or use the P3 app on a smartphone or tablet device. Callers may remain anonymous. Crime Stoppers offers rewards for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of suspects involved in criminal acts.

Authority: Chief M.W. Barrow

Simmons to Hold ‘Coffee With A Candidate’ Meet and Greet

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-Information courtesy Tiarra L. Mosley, Campaign Manager, the Committee for Allen Simmons for Vance County Sheriff

Coffee With A Candidate: Allen Simmons

The community is invited to meet Allen Simmons, candidate for Vance County Sheriff, on Wednesday, July 18, 2018, from 8 – 10 a.m. at Hardee’s, 120 E Dabney Dr., Henderson.

This Coffee with a Candidate session will allow Vance County citizens to come and have a one-on-one conversation with Simmons.

Simmons, a veteran of the Henderson Police Department, is running as an unaffiliated candidate for Sheriff of Vance County against Curtis Brame (Dem) and Charles Pulley (Rep).

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News 07/16/18

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Still Plenty of Time for Summer Reading at Perry Memorial Library

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Patti McAnally, director of the Perry Memorial Library in Henderson, was recently on WIZS’ Town Talk to discuss current and upcoming library programs, including summer reading.

“Although we are currently in the middle of summer reading, there are still a lot of opportunities to get involved,” said McAnally.

Parents interested in getting their children involved in the program may pick up a reading packet in the Youth Services Department. Children will have the opportunity to reach weekly reading goals and complete their reading log to be eligible for drawings and prizes.

Parents of participating youth will also be eligible for entry into an adult drawing for prizes if their child completes their summer reading log. “We figured that kids probably haven’t done it by themselves,” McAnally said. “Their parents have helped read to them and encourage them.”

In addition to being fun and keeping kids occupied during the school break, the summer reading program is also beneficial to academic retainment. “Summer reading is especially important because ‘summer slide’ can happen. There have been several studies done on this and it refers to students losing some of the academic gains they make during the school year over the summer,” McAnally said.

While staying engaged in school-required reading material may be difficult for some, McAnally believes summer reading can help children discover a genre of books that truly interests them. “What I like about the library’s summer reading program is we don’t have a required list of books; kids can read what they want. I think this helps them develop a love of reading for fun.”

The summer reading program will conclude with a finale in the Children’s Storytime Kiva on Friday, August 3 at 4 p.m. BoHo the Clown will provide character antics and family fun for this event.

Youth summer library programs include:

Totally Tweens – Ages 8 – 12 – Mondays at 5 p.m.

Story Explorers – Ages 5 – 11 – Tuesdays at 5 p.m.

Books & Babies – Ages Birth – 2 – Thursdays at 10:45 a.m.

Mother Goose Storytime – Ages 2 – 5 – Thursdays at 11 a.m.

LEGO Fun Club – Ages 5 – 13 – Thursdays at 4 p.m.

The Perry Memorial Library is located at 205 Breckenridge Street in Henderson. Visit their website at www.perrylibrary.org for additional information on children and adult programs.

Henderson Rec. Players to Present “Clybourne Park”

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-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor

The Henderson Rec Players will present “Clybourne Park” by Bruce Norris at the McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center nightly August 9-11 at 8 p.m. and August 12 at 2 p.m.

Winner of both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for Best Play, “Clybourne Park” is a satire about the politics of race that will be directed by Stephanie Asabi Howard. In response to Lorraine Hansberry’s “A Raisin in the Sun,” playwright Bruce Norris set up his work as a pair of scenes that bookend Hansberry’s piece and are set in the same modest bungalow on Chicago’s northwest side.

In 1959, Russ and Bev move out to the suburbs after the tragic death of their son. Inadvertently, they sell their house to the neighborhood’s first black family. Fifty years later in 2009, the roles are reversed when a young white couple buys the lot in what is now a predominantly black neighborhood, signaling a new wave of gentrification. In both instances, a community showdown takes place, pitting race against real estate with this home as the battleground.

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

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