Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews
Pete O’Geary Local Boy Scouts Citizen of the Year
(Cover photo of Grace and Pete O’Geary)
Thursday night in Henderson, James D. “Pete” O’Geary was presented the Lone Scout Award by the Boy Scouts of America, the Occoneechee Council. O’Geary is the recipient of the Citizen of the Year award for 2016.
This recognition was given at the 2016 George Rose Watkins, Sr. Citizen of the Year Award Dinner, May 5, 2016 at the Henderson Country Club.
R.G. “Chick” Young was presented the award in 2015, and the award was established in 2014 and named for and given to Watkins.
The award was given to O’Geary for his dedication and service to the community, because he is a businessman and former owner of Petal Shoppe Florist and Gift Shoppe, because he served on the Henderson City Council for six terms and because he was the Mayor of Henderson for eight consecutive years.
O’Geary was awarded the Order of the Long Leaf Pine recently as well, and he served on various city boards and committees as well as being Chairman of the Board and Chairman of the Finance Committee for the Kerr-Tar Regional Council of Government. At the present time, O’Geary serves on the Salvation Army Board of Directors and on the Henderson Planning Board.
At the award dinner, guests were welcomed by Cliff Rogers, immediate past president of the Occoneechee Council. The flag was presented by Boy Scout Troop 605 from First Presbyterian Church of Henderson. The invocation was given by Pastor Ralph E. McGowen from West End Baptist Church where O’Geary has been a member for 56 years.
Rogers gave a brief outline of scouting in the council, which covers Vance, Warren, Granville and Franklin counties and the communities of Wendell, Zebulon and Rolesville while serving 559 youth.
McGowen presented a testimonial and spoke of O’Geary’s dedication and many years of service to the church, and he also spoke of O’Geary’s character, integrity and faithfulness in representing this community.
Former City Manager Ray Griffin spoke of O’Geary’s selfless leadership and service to this community, his partnership with the City Council and his great desire to create harmony in the community.
Dr. Steve O’Geary spoke on behalf of his father for his dedication to family, church and community, for the way he loved and connected his family, for the standards set by his father as examples for all to live by and for standing up for what he believes in.
Pete O’Geary thanked the scouts for their support in the community and for their role in shaping lives. He thanked the scouts and community for supporting him.
John Akerman, scout executive of the Occoneechee Council, ended the dinner with the scoutmaster benediction.
(The award dinner was attended and written up by Susan Rose for WIZS News.)
Henderson Rec Players Auditions This Saturday
Reminder to past participants and all who are interested, the Henderson Rec Players will be holding auditions this weekend for the upcoming summer productions.
Auditions are this Saturday, May 7th at 2 P.M. at First Baptist Church. Please call 252-431-6091 with any questions or simply be at First Baptist at 2 P.M. this Saturday for the Henderson Rec Players auditions.
Recreation programs are many in Henderson and Vance County, and with summer coming, you will want to click here and check over the complete list of recreation programs offered by the Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department.
Summer day camp activities may be of particular interest to youth 13 and under as well as their parents. And, youth employment opportunities are listed for those between 14 and 18 years old.
Arson second-leading cause of N.C. wildfires in past 10 years
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MONDAY, MAY 2, 2016
Contact: Brian R. Haines, public information officer
N.C. Forest Service
919-857-4828
Arson second-leading cause of N.C. wildfires in past 10 years
May 1-7 is Arson Awareness Week
RALEIGH – Arson is the second-leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina over the past 10 years, the N.C. Forest Service says.
From 2005 through 2014, North Carolina had 45,609 wildfires, of which 8,461, or 19 percent, were intentionally started. Arson trails only careless debris burning among the causes of wildland fires in the state.
And with North Carolina ranking No. 1 nationally in the amount of land that falls within wildland urban interface zones, the risk to homes and other buildings is high. These zones are areas where buildings and other human development meet or intermingle with undeveloped wildland, forest or vegetation.
“Because of the proximity of development to wildlands, the Forest Service estimates that as much as 41 percent of homes in the state are at risk from wildfires,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “When you combine that fact with the crime of arson, it highlights the need to set up fire-adapted communities to protect vulnerable areas.”
To learn more about becoming a fire-adapted community, or ways you can protect your home from a wildfire, visit the N.C. Firewise program at https://www.ncfirewise.org/index.htm or contact your local N.C. Forest Service county ranger. Contact information and other fire prevention tips are available at ncforestservice.gov.
The arson statistics are particularly pertinent now because it’s Arson Awareness Week. The Department of Homeland Security’s U.S. Fire Administration and its partners are using May 1-7 to focus attention on wildfire arson, particularly in the wildland urban interface.
The National Association of State Foresters says more than 72,000 U.S. communities are now at risk from wildfire within the wildland urban interface.
#VANCECoProud – New Access Control System
New Access Control System Begins May 16 at Six Schools
Vance County Schools will pilot its new Access Control System at six schools beginning on Monday, May 16, 2016.
The Access Control System, custom made by top locksmiths Arlington, involves having all school entrances locked during the school day and requires all visitors to identify themselves at the school’s main entrance before being allowed to enter the building.
The system will be operational on May 16 at Aycock Elementary School, New Hope Elementary School, L.B. Yancey Elementary School, Henderson Middle School, STEM Early High School and Northern Vance High School.
The school system is using these six school sites to test the effectiveness and operation of the new school entry security system before it is implemented at all schools at the beginning of the 2016-2017 school year.
The focus of the new Access Control System is to provide safety for everyone in our schools. While the implementation process may be somewhat inconvenient for visitors at the beginning, school system officials believe this new system will be worthwhile in ensuring the safety of all of our students, school system employees and visitors.
Beginning on May 16 at the six schools that are pilot sites, all school entrances will be locked after the arrival of students to begin the school day, and they will remain locked until student dismissal in the afternoon.
Throughout the school day, all visitors to these six schools must follow these procedures to enter the building:
- All visitors at the schools will be directed to the front, main entrance of the school. This will be the only entrance available to visitors. Video systems will be operational at the schools, so that front office staff members can see all visitors as they approach the building.
- Front office staff members will use access control to permit entry into the schools. School doors will be locked which will require that all visitors use the access control system to be “buzzed in” at the main entrance by office personnel.
- At the front, main entrance to the school, all visitors must press a button on the access control box. Once school office personnel have responded, visitors must state their reason for entering the school prior to being admitted to the building.
- Visitors will then be required to show some form of photo identification. This identification will confirm the visitor’s entrance into the building. Once inside the school, all visitors must go to the school’s main office to sign in for a visitor’s badge. All visitors are required to wear their visitor badge during the entire time they are in the school.
Signs at the main entrance of each school with instructions in English and Spanish will be clearly visible beside the access control box to all visitors as they approach the entrance.
For those visitors who do not have a valid photo identification card, officials at each school will work with individuals to get a photo and issue an identification card to them.
All visitors to these six pilot schools must remember to bring their photo identification with them each time they come to the school. No one will be admitted to the school without proper identification. There will be no exceptions.
Vance Couny Schools is asking for the complete cooperation of everyone in the community as the school system works through implementation of this new system.
(Press Release from VCS)
Faith Spa Essentials Joins HV Chamber
A ribbon cutting was held on Friday, April 22nd for Faith Spa Essentials to celebrate the company’s membership with the Chamber and to showcase the business and all that it has to offer. They were joined by friends, family and local dignitaries to celebrate their opening. All guests were treated to a tasteful treat and beverage after the ribbon cutting.
Faith Spa Essentials is excited to welcome you to their brand new store located at 634 Dabney Dr. Henderson NC 27536. They have a variety of male and female products to include: fragrant oils, shower gels, hand lotions and butters. Their store also carries handbags, wallets, men’s socks, ties and more!
Stop in and meet owner Gloria McDuffey and check out this new business. For more information, please contact them at 252-572-2229 or by email at customerservice@faithspaessentials.com. You can also check the business out at www.faithspaessentials.com.