Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

Local Pastors Visit Local Schools

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Earlier in February, Pastors of local churches took time out of their busy schedules to visit four schools in the Vance County Schools system.

The school system invited pastors and church leaders throughout Vance County to take part in the four-hour event during the morning to learn more about the many positive things happening in local schools.

Dr. Anthony D. Jackson, superintendent of Vance County Schools, led the group of about 15 pastors on the tours. They visited the STEM Early High School, Pinkston Street Elementary School, Zeb Vance Elementary School and Early College High School. Breakfast and lunch also were provided for the participants at the school system’s Administrative Services Center.

At the STEM Early High School, Principal Rey Horner was joined by his school’s student ambassadors in leading the pastors in visits to several classrooms. They saw students in each classroom led by their teacher in hands-on work with electrical power boards, open discussions about literature written by famous African American authors, group discussions and students using Smartboards to solve mathematical equations and indepth discussions about our nation’s economy.

Heddie Somerville, principal of Pinkston Street and the school system’s Principal of the Year, welcomed the group to her school and had staff members take them to several classrooms where they had a chance to interact with teachers and students during their instruction time. Somerville and her staff also stressed how the school’s wing for classrooms in grades 3-5 is called “College Row” and daily discussions are held with students to encourage them to begin planning to pursue a college education.

Kristian Herring, the new principal of Zeb Vance Elementary, met the group as they arrived at his school. Student representatives led the pastors on tours of the school. They talked with several teachers and students in their classrooms and learned about the emphasis on reading throughout the school. Herring also explained to them how his faculty and staff work as teams to identify students’ specific needs and their academic progress throughout the school year.

Their final visit was to the Early College High School on the campus of Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC). Their visit was led by Vangie Mitchell, liaison between Early College and VGCC, who explained the unique partnership to enable students to complete their high school career and receive two years of college coursework at no cost to them. Pastors again were able to visit in several classrooms.

The school system has now hosted elected officials and business leaders, as well as the pastors, in visits to local schools. More of these events will be scheduled as school officials work to communicate with stakeholders about the services and programs provided to students.

(The preceding comes from a press release issued by VCS.  The pastors visited the local schools on February 3, but we are just now publishing this information at this time on WIZS.com.)

Henderson Man Arrested on Federal Drug Charges

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Henderson Police Department Press Release

 

On Thursday, on February 25, 2016, members of the Henderson Police Department Special Operations Unit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, and the Raleigh Police Department arrested a Henderson man on federal drug charges.

Keith Antoine Thorpe, 39, 3263 Hwy 158 Business, Henderson was charged with one count of distribution and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of heroin and distribution and possession with the intent to distribute a quantity of cocaine base(crack).

Thorpe was transferred into the custody of the United States Marshall Service pending a hearing in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina.  This case was investigated by the Henderson Police Department Special Operations Unit and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.  The investigation into weapon violations and drug trafficking currently is ongoing.

Authority: Chief Marcus Barrow

Granville Vance Tornado Path

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Director of Emergency Operations for Henderson and Vance County Brian Short provided the picture below to WIZS News by email.

In his email, he wrote, “(Wednesday’s) tornadoes caused significant damage in the northern portion of Vance County. While we believe at this time that we had three separate tornadoes in total, I have attached some locational data showing four points that we feel strongly are tornado touchdowns in Vance County. This helps to define the path of the tornado that caused the damage in the northern part of the County.”

According to what Short is saying, there were apparently three separate tornadoes believed to have been in Vance County on Wednesday, while the picture shows the path of a single tornado which it is believed caused the damage in northern Vance County.  The path pictured is of the tornado which caused so much damage in the Huntsboro community in Granville County before moving into Vance County and touching down as many as four more times.

tornado track 022416

Marcus Fields Disappearance Leads To Indictments

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(Full Press Release)

Henderson, NC – Over the past six weeks, investigators from the Henderson Police Department and the Vance County Sheriff’s Office, together with agents from the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation have investigated the disappearance of Marcus Lamont Fields of Henderson, North Carolina. The District Attorney’s Office has been working closely with these agencies during this investigation.

Today, the District Attorney’s Office presented indictments to a Vance County Grand Jury. True bills were returned on all counts and the Hon. James E. Hardin, Jr. has issued warrants for the arrests of Chelsea Joanne Collier, Daniel Blake Grissom, Jessica Lauren Lewis, and Chase M. Wiesner for the Conspiracy to Commit and the First Degree Murder of Marcus Lamont Fields. Additionally, Shannon Tingen Collier was indicted for Accessory After the Fact to First Degree Murder.

The investigation into the murder of Marcus Lamont Fields remains ongoing and further arrests are anticipated in connection with the case. All defendants indicted or charged are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact the following:
Crimestoppers: (252) 492-1925
Vance County Sheriffs Office: (252) 738-2200

Fatal Shooting in Henderson

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Henderson Police Press Release

Monday, February 08, 2016

 

On Monday, February 08, 2016 at 11:24 A.M., members of the Henderson Police Department responded to Gate City Foods, 601 W. Andrews Avenue, Henderson in response to someone being shot.  Arriving officers found Tre’shon Cheek, 18, 315 Davis Street, Henderson suffering from a gunshot wound.  Cheek died as a result of his injuries.

The investigation of this matter is being handled by the Henderson Police Department Criminal Investigation Division.  Anyone with information is asked to contact the Henderson Police Department at 252-438-4141 or Henderson Vance Crime Stoppers at 252-492-1925.  Crime Stoppers will pay rewards of up to 2,000.00 for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of individuals engaged in criminal activity.

 

Authority: Chief Marcus Barrow

VGCC Vanguards to play JV Tar Heels at Dean Dome

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For the first time, the Vance-Granville Community College Vanguards men’s basketball team will soon travel to the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill to face the University of North Carolina Tar Heels junior varsity team.

Playing against the prestigious program in one of college basketball’s most well-known arenas has been a longtime goal for VGCC head coach Michael Woody, now in his third season. The JV game is set for Saturday, Jan. 16, at 9 a.m. Later that day, the varsity Tar Heels will take on the N.C. State Wolfpack.

Henderson-based radio station WIZS 1450 AM will provide live coverage of the game starting at 8:45 a.m. Even for those outside the range of the radio station, the broadcast can be streamed online at wizs.com/listennow/ or on a smart phone with the free “TuneIn Radio” app.

The Vanguards compete in Region X of the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II, which includes ten two-year colleges in North Carolina and Virginia.

The UNC JV squad has several community college teams on its schedule this year, including one of VGCC’s Region X conference rivals, Wake Tech Community College. The Tar Heels defeated the Wake Tech Eagles on Dec. 6 by a score of 83-73. Likewise, the Vanguards beat the Eagles by the same margin, 67-57, in VGCC’s season opener on Nov. 6.

VGCC is 1-1 versus the junior varsity squads from four-year schools so far this season. The Vanguards beat the University of Mount Olive JV team on Nov. 8, but lost to the St. Andrews University JV squad on Nov. 16.

Coincidentally, one of the stars of the UNC varsity team, junior Isaiah Hicks, is a former teammate of VGCC sophomore Tyrek Beverly from their days at J.F. Webb High School in Oxford.

Admission is free to the UNC JV game. Attendees must present a valid North Carolina driver’s license at Entry Gate “B” to enter. For more information, call the Smith Center at (919) 962-2296.

Beverly returns to leading role with Vanguards

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Vance-Granville Community College sophomore Tyrek Beverly of Oxford scored 23 points Jan. 5 as the Vanguards men’s basketball team faced the University of South Carolina-Salkehatchie. He and his teammates fought hard, but the visiting squad eked out a narrow win, 74-71, at Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson.

As a freshman in 2014-15, Beverly was often the team’s leading scorer, but at the beginning of this season, he was sidelined by an injury and only started to get back on the court in late November. His strong performance versus the USC Salkehatchie Indians marked a return to form for the J.F. Webb High School alumnus. Beverly had three rebounds and two steals, as well. Also scoring in double figures were Raekwon Hall of Raleigh, with 15 points, and Ty’Quon Reid of Durham, with 11. Donal Gooch of Raleigh had the most rebounds (8) for the Vanguards.

VGCC’s last three games of 2015 were also losses. On Nov. 24, the Vanguards fell to the reigning national champions, the Statesmen of Richard Bland College, by a score of 102-81 in Petersburg, Va. Hall and Reid led their team in scoring, with 27 and 25 points, respectively. Reid posted 6 rebounds to lead the Vanguards in that statistic.

On Dec. 2, VGCC returned home and played area rival Louisburg College in the second annual “Vanguard Night” game. Festivities included a DJ, prize drawings and performances by the Vanguard Spirit Pep Squad and a step team from a Granville County youth organization, “Un-Rappin’ the Gift.” After a close first half, the Hurricanes pulled away in the second, winning 89-77. Reid’s 30 points made him the Vanguards’ top scorer. Hall contributed 18 points. Gooch recorded 6 rebounds.

The calendar year ended with a 117-111 double-overtime loss to Central Carolina Community College in Sanford on Dec. 8. Hall put up 35 points, while Beverly showed improvement by scoring 22, just one more point than Reid. Gooch again led in rebounding, with 9.

Upcoming VGCC home games at Aycock Recreation Center are scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m., versus Lenoir Community College, and Wednesday, Jan. 27, at 6:30 p.m., versus Catawba Valley Community College. Admission is free.