Tag Archive for: #hendersonnews

Maria Parham Health Emergency Department Renovation Complete

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— information courtesy of Donna Young, Maria Parham Health Public Information Officer

Maria Parham Health has received a Certificate of Occupancy for its Emergency Department renovation on the Henderson campus, marking a major milestone in the hospital’s ongoing efforts to expand access to high-quality care—especially for patients facing behavioral health challenges in Vance and Franklin counties.

Construction on the renovation began Mar. 17, 2025. The project was designed to better serve vulnerable populations in the region, with particular emphasis on creating dedicated spaces within the Emergency Department to meet the growing need for behavioral and mental health services.

“These renovations reflect our unwavering commitment to improving the way we care for every patient who walks through our doors—especially those navigating mental and behavioral health issues,” said Bert Beard, CEO of Maria Parham Health. “We are incredibly grateful for the community support and funding that made this project possible, and we look forward to opening these new spaces to better serve our neighbors.”

Key improvements include the creation of dedicated, purpose-built areas within the Emergency Department that promote safety, privacy, and dignity for behavioral health patients. The enhancements are also expected to boost operational efficiency and support staff well-being.

To ensure continuous care during construction, temporary modifications were made to the hospital’s main lobby, which have served as a substitute intake, registration, and emergency care area for patients arriving via personal vehicle. These temporary areas have allowed for uninterrupted triage, waiting, and registration services throughout the renovation period.

With the Certificate of Occupancy now in hand, hospital staff began final preparations on Aug. 20 to bring the renovated Emergency Department online. The space opened to patients at 11 a.m. on Aug. 20, 2025.

The project was made possible by funding secured in October 2023 through a collaborative initiative involving the Vance County District Attorney’s Office, Granville Vance Public Health, the Vance County Board of Commissioners, and the North Carolina General Assembly. The investment demonstrates a shared regional commitment to strengthening mental health care infrastructure and improving outcomes for patients across the area.

Maria Parham Health will continue to provide renovation updates through its official Facebook page and local media outlets-

Home and Garden Show

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On the Home and Garden Show with Vance Co. Cooperative Ext.

  • The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8am to 1pm. Today they have tomatoes, snapbeans, beets, cabbages, yellow squash, zucchini squash, red irish potatoes, cantaloupes, watermelons, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, peaches, and canned items.
  • There will be a Fall Vegetable Garden Class on September 2nd, 2025 starting at 6:30pm at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market.
  • Start collecting your soil samples now.
  • Collect flowers for dried  arrangements. Ex: Yarrow, German staus.
  • Freeze or can your fruits and vegetables now enjoy them this winter.
  • When purchasing grass seed, check the germination percentage on the bag of seed.
  • Know what to plant in your garden and get a copy of the central piedmont planting guide.
  • Know the harvest interval when spraying anything in your garden.
  • Do not let any weeds seed out in your garden.
  • When purchasing transplants look for a dark green color of leaves, stay away from pot bound transplants.
  • Carolina lawns is the best publication for having a good lawn.
  • Start ordering your fall planting bulbs now.
  • Check houseplants dust weekly with a soft cloth.
  • Check storage areas for mice.

The Vance County Cooperative Extension is located at 305 Young St, Henderson, NC 27536

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is located at 210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC 27536

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Vance County Logo

Vance County Seeks Applicants To Serve On Opioid Committee

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Vance County is looking for individuals interested in serving on its Opioid Committee. The purpose of this committee is to advise the Board of County Commissioners on strategies to address opioid-related impacts in Vance County through the effective use of settlement funds. Its duties include reviewing community needs, identifying evidence-based interventions, encouraging public and municipal input, and promoting intergovernmental collaboration to ensure that funding decisions reflect shared priorities and support long-term solutions.

The Board of County Commissioners is seeking to fill these roles on the committee:

  • Individuals with lived experience (maximum of 2 appointments)
  • Service Providers (maximum of 2 appointments)
  • Community Organizations (maximum of 2 appointments)

Applications may be obtained at www.vancecounty.org or by contacting Kelly H. Grissom, Clerk to the Board at kgrissom@vancecounty.org. Please submit completed applications to 122 Young Street, Suite B, Henderson, NC 27536 or kgrissom@vancecounty.org.

Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Growth and Excitement at Perry Memorial Library

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Perry Memorial Library is all the things a library should be – it’s inviting and chock full of books and other reading materials for patrons to enjoy. But Youth Services Librarian Melody Peters is someone who likes to be in “the mix,” as she put it, so whenever she’s able to, she likes to be out and about – bringing the library and its services into the community.

“You have to go out to get people to come in,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

With another successful summer program under their belts, the library staff is gearing up for the fall, but there’s a bit of a breather that has allowed Peters to do some outreach activities, most recently with The Salvation Army and AIM High.

And on Saturday, you’ll most likely find her at the Way to Grow Fest in downtown Henderson.
“This is happening in our backyard – we have to be there,” Peters said.

Stop by the library’s table on Saturday and enjoy a bracelet craft activity as you learn more about the various programs the library offers.

Then stop by the library on Thursday, Sept. 11 at 2:30 p.m. for the official ribbon-cutting ceremony to welcome to library’s fancy new Bookmobile.

“This is big news – this is huge!” Peters exclaimed.

A Greensboro-based company designed and outfitted the bookmobile’s interior. It’s got a ramp and all the bells and whistles, she said.

“People are going to love it! It opens up a whole new level of outreach,” Peters said.

 

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Cooperative Extension with Michael Ellington: Pesticide Applicator License Process

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Michael Ellington, on the Vance County Cooperative Extension Report:

This segment covers a recent change in the pesticide applicator license process and offers a reminder for upcoming pesticide trainings and a fall vegetable class.

Listen live at 100.1 FM / 1450 AM / or on the live stream at WIZS.com at 11:50 a.m. Mon, Tues & Thurs.

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TownTalk: Franklin-Vance-Warren Launches $3M Jubilee Center Project

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Franklin-Vance-Warren Opportunity, Inc. occupies the red brick building with the low profile up on the hill at 180 S. Beckford Dr. Through its efforts over the course of the last 60 years, FVWOPP has woven itself into the fabric of the communities it serves.

From this location, FVWOPP interacts with the community through a variety of programs that benefit pre-school age children all the way up to senior adults. The building began as Jubilee Hospital, and once served as Henderson City Hall.

By the time Abdul Sm Rasheed joined about five years ago as FVW’s CEO and senior advisor to the board, he said the first thing they had to do was fix the roof.

Community leaders gathered on Aug. 5 to launch a $3 million Jubilee Center renovation and transformation of the property, which includes much more than fixing a leaky roof. And Rasheed said it’s one way to give the facility new life by embracing its history and the role it played locally, statewide and beyond.

“We’re hoping that as we give the Jubilee facility new life,” Rasheed explained, “it will give inspiration, particularly to our young people in our community, and have them see how the future can look.”

“This project really grows out of my love for my community,” he said. “I love my community…I’m a product of this community and not a victim of all the history that some of us may want to point to and embrace. I’d rather embrace the triumphs of our community, and I consider what we are trying to do today with the Jubilee Center is a triumph that we want to announce to the world.”

The artist renderings of the project reflect the idea of bringing new life to the building. It’s not a restoration project, but more of a reimagining. Rasheed said the project isn’t abandoning the history, “but we do want to advance the image, the look, hopefully the inspiration that this facility can bring to all citizens of our community and visitors to our community.”

Roy Brown, Jr. is FVWOPP’s media and communications coordinator, and he said the groundbreaking event “Celebrating Triumphs” is bringing FVWOPP into the 21st century. Longtime programs like Head Start and Section 8 housing are making room for new programs like YouthBuild as some of the services that FVW offers.

“We want to present the public something nice,” Brown said. In addition to the outward transformation, there are plans for the building’s interior to honor numerous African Americans who have had a lasting effect on their communities. “It’s inspirational to look at a building, and the history, and where we came from and where we’re going…to inspire change throughout the whole city.”

The bulk of the funding – $2.7 million came from a U.S. Dept. of Agriculture lending program for small, rural communities.

Another $150,000 came from the Cannon Foundation and the roof repairs a few years ago were made possible by a $150,000 loan from First National Bank.

Rasheed’s 40+ years in the area of community development have cemented for him the need for public/private partnerships in projects like this.

“Public/private is the only way to address our major issues in our communities and neighborhoods,” he said.

The Section 8 housing program is sort of like that public/private partnership. The program subsidizes rents for qualified individuals.

Rasheed said it’s a $3 million initiative that brings dollars into the community for residents “to realize stable, safe housing” and pays landlords directly. “That’s a direct investment into local real estate owners,” he said.

The YouthBuild program provides wraparound services for young people 16-24 years who want to get their GED or trade certificate to make themselves employable. Rasheed said the program has helped 65 or so young people so far.

The Early Head Start and Head Start programs may be familiar to many, providing a preschool education experience before kindergarten. There are close to 500 children in both programs, he added.

With a current annual budget of about $12 million, Rasheed said there are more than 100 employees on the FVW payroll. “It has been bringing capital into this community and investing that capital into people to improve themselves and contribute to the health of the community,” he said.

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Mike Waters

The Local Skinny! Dequante Terry Sentenced To Life Without Parole In 2020 Murder

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– Information courtesy of the office of District Attorney Mike Waters

A Vance County man was sentenced to life in prison without parole plus 19 years for the October 2020 murder in Henderson.

During the week of the Aug. 4 session of Vance Criminal Superior trial court, Dequante Jabree Terry was found guilty of first-degree murder, along with a string of additional charges related to an attempted armed robbery on Oct. 13, 2020 at a house on David Street during which Williard Ray Dement, Jr. was shot and killed.

Terry also was found guilty of attempted robbery with a dangerous weapon, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, and possession of a firearm by a felon.

According to information from the office of District Attorney Mike Waters, during the robbery, Terry fired several shots inside of the residence, striking Misty Boyd and Haley Boyd. An unknown assailant outside shot multiple times into the residence and struck Dement, causing his death. Terry was apprehended within a block of the murder scene, with Dement’s DNA on his pants and a 9mm handgun in his pocket. The 9mm weapon was determined by a firearms expert to have been fired inside of the David Street residence.

The Vance County Sheriff’s Office and North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation investigated the case. The State of North Carolina was represented by Assistant District Attorneys Allison Capps and Theodore J. Marsh, Jr. Mr. Terry represented himself.

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