Tag Archive for: #towntalk

Council Members Split On Funding For McGregor Hall

/by

As members of the Henderson City Council continued budget deliberations at a work session Monday, they found themselves in lockstep to help displaced families find more permanent housing, but far apart on providing financial support for McGregor Hall.

The Council approved giving $2,000 to 22 families who had to move out of the Motel 121 in early May because it was deemed uninhabitable by inspectors.

Since then, five of the 27 families have found other places to live with help from Vaya Health, leaving 22 families – with 47 children – living in motels in Vance and Granville counties.

State money that has been paying for lodging is running out, and the families face being homeless again without some intervention.

“Twenty-two families, as of tomorrow, are going to be homeless again,” said City Manager Terrell Blackmon during the budget work session.

According to Mayor Melissa Elliott, the bill so far is roughly $144,000 in motel bills.

It would cost close to $40,000 to keep them in their current situation until the end of the month, she said.

After some discussion, the Council agreed to pay the $2,000 voucher to all 22 families and then request that the county reimburse the city for half. That way, the city will end up paying for 11 families and the county would pick up the other 11.

It was unclear when the vouchers would be distributed, where the money would come from or whether the families would be allowed to stay in their current lodging after check-out time Tuesday.

Elliott acknowledged that $2,000 is “not a lot of money to relocate…(but) we have to start somewhere.”

Blackmon said he and County Manager C. Renee Perry had been in communication about the situation, and he said that the feeling is the county would be open to help pay for the vouchers.

“I don’t think they’ll leave us hanging out there on this,” he told the council.

In further discussion, some Council members asked whether there are funds set aside in the budget for providing emergency housing.

Blackmon said there may be funds to provide temporary housing for people whose homes are being repaired with community development block grant funding, but he doesn’t think there is a pot of money that would help in situations like the one at Motel 121.

“This exercise, although unexpected, has shown us that we really don’t have the structure to accommodate and help families a little bit longer,” Blackmon said.

Geraldine Champion said she didn’t want anyone to go through what the families living at Motel 121 have gone through.

“We need to do something and we need to be proactive,” she said.

One option that came up is a shelter for displaced families that could operate in the city.

Blackmon said there typically is more funding available for programs than for brick and mortar projects. “We need to figure out how we can get that type of facility in the city,” he said.

The recommended budget, which totals roughly $45 million, could be adopted as early as June 10. Just as the recommended budget presented to Council in early May didn’t have any money designated for emergency housing, neither did it provide any funding for McGregor Hall.

At last night’s work session, two motions failed that would have provided substantial money to the performing arts venue – Garry Daeke’s first motion was for the full request of $75,000. That failed 5-2, with only Daeke and Council Member Sam Seifert voting in favor.

Daeke followed up with a motion, also seconded by Seifert, to provide $60,000. That motion failed, too. Commissioners Geraldine Champion, Sara Coffey, Ola Thorpe-Cooper, Michael Venable and Tami Walker voted no.

Council Member Lamont Noel was absent.

McGregor Hall Executive Director Mark Hopper – who is the venue’s only full-time employee – had requested $75,000 from the city and $60,000 from the county in this year’s budget cycle, all of which would be used to retire the mortgage debt. Blackmon said $124,620 in debt service is due in early July each year.

On the heels of the two failed motions, Coffey offered a motion, seconded by Champion, to provide $5,000 to McGregor Hall in the form of a one-year renewable grant, as well as placing a voting member of the council on the McGregor Hall board and to know how the funding would be spent.

“I don’t think $5,000 will get anyone the board,” Daeke said. “I would like to see it fully funded.”

Seifert said, “I can’t agree more with Mr. Daeke…We need economic development here in Henderson, and this right here is a beacon that draws it in,” he said of McGregor Hall. “This is a driver for many different things.”

Plans to purchase property owned by McGregor Hall continue, which would add up to $275,000 to the performing arts venue’s bottom line. Blackmon said there’s a CAF that is ready to be presented at the next meeting.

Click Play!

TownTalk: Community Partners of Hope Men’s Shelter 365 Dream Team

/by

Darryl Jones is walking, talking proof about getting – and giving – second chances in life.

And just in case anybody wonders about the good things that go on at the emergency men’s shelter and Hope House here in Henderson, Jones is a living testimony.

He’s been shelter program manager for just over a month now. But a decade ago, he was one of the first two residents of Hope House, transitional housing that helps men get back on their feet and become productive, contributing citizens of their community.

The men’s shelter and the transitional housing program are part of Community Partners of Hope. Jones was a guest on TownTalk Monday to share his story and to encourage the community to continue to support the efforts of CPOH.

“I went through a time in my life when I needed help, and I reached out,” Jones said. There’s an array of services and resources available in the area – from vocational rehabilitation to mental health providers and job training programs – and he wants the clients CPOH serves make use of them.

“If you apply yourself, you’ll be on the right track to getting back your life,” Jones explained. “You have to stay the course – you have to want it.”

Jones himself is a prime example. He was admittedly in a low place in his life back in 2014, but he stuck with it and was selected among the first two residents of Hope House, which opened in 2015. With a job in food service and things beginning to look up, Jones was asked to come to work as shelter manager.

“Of course, I wanted to give back, so I said yes,” he recalled.

Since its inception, the men’s shelter has been housed in the basement of the Presbyterian Church in downtown Henderson. But renovations have been underway at the former City Road Methodist Church to transform the buildings to be the new shelter home, called City Road Center of Hope.

Jones said the plan is to start moving “stuff” next week in advance of the June 15 move date for those who currently spend their nights at the shelter.

But it’s June already – doesn’t the shelter only operate during the cold winter months?

That was then, Jones said, and this is the new reality. The shelter intends to remain open all year long, achieving a long-talked-about goal.

The 365 Dream Team concept is part of what’s been going on behind the scenes to allow the shelter to expand its operations and be available throughout the cold of winter, the heat of summer, and everywhere in between.

The idea is to get 365 people – or groups, or clubs, churches or other organizations – to donate $365 a year toward the overall operations of the shelter.

He’s overwhelmed by the support, including donations of meals to supplies, snacks and water for the clients, as well as the monetary support. Please keep it up, he added.

“Without you all, we wouldn’t be doing this. You are our backbone and we still need your support” to provide mentorships, internships and being volunteers.

For Jones, the staff and volunteers became like family when he most needed support. “They helped me and I wanted it,” he said. “I wanted to succeed and excel.”

“I’ve got a big place in my heart for them – what they did for me – they believed in me.

Visit www.cp-hope.org to learn how you can help. Make a financial donation, sign up to provide a meal, or volunteer.

Send tax-deductible contributions to:

Community Partners of Hope, Inc.

P.O. Box 1791

Henderson, NC 27536

Please note in Memo Line 365-2024-05

 

Click Play!

TownTalk: Hawkins Named Vice Dean of UNC School of Social Work

/by

Robert Hawkins graduated high school in 1981 and he’s pretty much stayed in the field of academia since he left Henderson to attend Appalachian State University as a new undergraduate.

His experiences growing up in Vance County, along with his extensive research in the field of social work and especially the effects of living in poverty, have served Dr. Robert Hawkins throughout his career.

Hawkins will become vice dean of the UNC-CH School of Social Work on July 1 and he was a guest on Thursday’s TownTalk to discuss his new role, his research and growing up in the area.

Although his primary role will be administrator – think of it like being a chief operating officer – in dealing with day-to-day activities, he said he’ll use his research into how people deal with poverty, the effect of poverty on individuals and on society, to inform how he functions as an administrator.

“Poverty is so much more than whether or not you have money,” Hawkins explained. He also wants to learn about people’s lived experiences in poverty and the processes that people go through that allow them to survive in poverty.

“My research is central to what I believe social work research should look like,” he said. “We look to move people to a better place” where they can thrive and rise beyond their current situation.

Hawkins said he would definitely use his own life experiences, as well as his experience as a researcher to help drive his decisions and the initiatives he wants to be involved in.

While the School of Social Work doesn’t make policy, it can be a resource to help policymakers in the legislature. The decisions that are made will be the result of a team effort, he said, adding that he views his role as a service position – a support position – rather than a position of power.

“My job will be to make sure the School of Social Work is doing the best it can and being the best it can be,” Hawkins said. “I will be making decisions with a lot of other people.”

Having faculty members with strong policy backgrounds can help evaluate existing policies and those that are being created, not to influence policy-making but help people understand which policies may be most effective and why.

He was attracted to the newly created vice dean position by the spirit of community and the chance to collaborate in making decisions within the realm of social work – and the impacts that can be felt within the state and maybe across the nation.

The idea of being able to “implement a vision that you’ve created together” is most appealing, he added.

The UNC School of Social Work is ranked fourth in the country, on the campus of one of the foremost public universities in the nation. “Who wouldn’t want to be there?” he said.

The idea of social justice is something that trained social workers have done for decades, Hawkins said. “When we talk about social justice, we’re talking about how people equitably exist in society. It’s the shared human worth of all people – it’s not controversial, or at least it shouldn’t be.”

Talking about social justice is just one of the things that Hawkins said he enjoys about his work. “Social work has given me opportunities that I could have never imagined,” he said. A true social worker is a researcher, someone who can resolve conflict, engage in mediation and who can understand everyday human behavior.”

He said he thinks about this a lot and one area he keeps circling back to is education. He remembers one high school English teacher who really helped him and believed in him and his potential. “That person guided me in the right direction,” he said.

Then, teachers were not so over-stretched, he said, and they could pay closer attention to students’ needs, especially their educational needs.

“Do teachers today have the time to pay that kind of attention to their students? I’m sure many do, but it’s something that we should be encouraging and helping teachers accomplish. We’re not seeing that out in the world right now.”

With family still living in Henderson, Hawkins finds himself in Henderson fairly often. He loves to stop in at his favorite barbecue restaurant (he didn’t identify it, but did reveal that he grew up just a ways from Skipper’s Forsyth’s).

He recalled his childhood, growing up in a house near Satterwhite Point without running water and working in tobacco fields.

In 1980, he said the family was able to move from that house to a mobile home. “This was a big deal,” he said. That move marked a significant economic change for his family. “For me, it wasn’t a step down – it was a step up.”

CLICK PLAY!

TownTalk: Proposed County and City Tax Rates

/by

Now that city and county elected officials have gotten recommended budgets from the city and county managers, it’s time for budget work sessions and public hearings to hear citizens’ comments before the final budgets are adopted.

State law requires that local governments must adopt their budgets before July 1, when the new fiscal year begins. June 1 is Saturday and July 1 is on a Sunday, giving leaders 20 business days to complete the difficult work of making any adjustments to the budget documents before the budgets are adopted.

The Vance County Board of Commissioners officially received the $57 million-plus budget just Monday from Manager C. Renee Perry.

This is Perry’s first budget presentation to this board of commissioners, and she told WIZS News said it was her decision to go with a revenue-neutral budget. The proposed property tax valuation is 61.3 cents per $100 valuation. The current valuation is 89 cents per $100, but the most recent reappraisal process has boosted the total property value by $2 Billion – to $4.9 billion from $2.9 billion.

The Henderson City Council received a $45 million budget from City Manager Terrell Blackmon earlier this month. The budget includes a 55-cent per $100 valuation – 10 cents higher than the revenue-neutral rate of 45 cents per $100 valuation.

The recommended city budget does not include any funding for McGregor Hall, which had requested $75,000. At Monday’s public hearing, there was a suggestion that was floated to give McGregor Hall a one-time $75,000 grant, provided other stipulations are in place – including having a current Council member on the voting board of the entertainment venue.

Numerous McGregor Hall proponents spoke at the Monday public hearing to voice their support of providing funds to the performing arts venue.

Like the city budget, Perry’s budget to county commissioners does not include any funding for McGregor Hall. It also doesn’t include funding for capital projects like jail renovations or a new EMS station.

“I’m not sure if they will change it, but I don’t plan on recommending an increase … I will be clear about items that can’t be funded without a tax increase,” Perry said to WIZS.

The 2024-25 county budget is less than 1 percent higher than last year’s budget – it’s larger by about $347,000. In her presentation, Perry stated that the budget was a conservative one.

The county will hold a public hearing as part of its Monday, June 3 meeting and budget work sessions on Monday, June 10 and Thursday, June 13 – all beginning at 6 p.m.

The city’s next budget work session, previously scheduled for Thursday, May 30, has been cancelled.

The next city meeting is set for Monday, June 3.

The 158-page recommended city budget document can be found at https://henderson.nc.gov/. Under the Departments heading, click on Finance to go directly to the dropdown box where the document is located.

The 138-page recommended county budget can be found at https://www.vancecounty.org/. Under the Departments heading, click on Board of Commissioners and locate the file in the dropdown box on the right side of the page.

Click Play!

TownTalk: Author Rosetta Canada-Hargrove Publishes Two Books

/by

It was when she first moved to the Henderson area, some 40 years ago, that Rosetta Canada-Hargrove started writing her first book. But, as with so many people, “life” intervened and papers and notes got put away in boxes for later.

As it turns out, “later” was during the COVID-19 pandemic, and her husband and daughter encouraged her to pull out those boxes of paper and give it a whirl.

Now living in the Triad area, Canada-Hargrove has published not one, but two works of fiction. And they are part of a trilogy, so she’s gathering steam to create the third – and final – installment.

The first book, “Urban Beginnings,” is a short novel – only about 50 pages, she said on Tuesday’s TownTalk.

“After Urban Beginnings,” published just last month, weighs in at 170 pages.

Inspired to leave a legacy for her grandson, Canada-Hargrove said she started putting the pieces of the first book together. Both books are works of fiction, but they both contain messages that resonate with many people who find themselves in difficult relationships.

The story line has Kingston, a woman in her mid-20’s married to the love of her life, Giovanni, who Canada-Hargrove describes as a “womanizer.”

But Giovanni’s family was mixed up in the Mafia and Kingston decides to move South where things should be better.

Only they weren’t.

The message in the second novel is simple: “A person does not have to stay in a situation,” she explained. Kingston stays with her first husband “because he has some issues, but she is just an enabler,” Canada-Hargrove said.

Book Number Three, as yet untitled, has been in the works for a few weeks now. “It’s going to bring everything together,” its author promises. “I wanted to do it in three parts to keep people in suspense,” she said.

People have sent her messages thanking her for writing on the topic. And while she said the topic isn’t explicitly domestic violence or abuse, she wants readers to have a takeaway that they don’t have to stay in a relationship that is unhealthy.

It’s a dramedy, she says of the trilogy. “There’s comedy in there, there’s tears in there,” she said.

The books are available on Amazon.com.

CLICK PLAY!

 

TownTalk: Around Old Granville: A Day At The Lake

/by

Kerr Lake will be the destination for many boaters and campers over the long holiday weekend, but the area surrounding – and under – the man-made lake has been attracting people for literally hundreds of years.

Stately homes sitting on impressive tracts of land belonging to families with names like Hargrove and Henderson, made way for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers project. The lake, no doubt, has unrivaled recreational value today, the fertile lowlands created by Nut Bush creek as it makes its way to the Roanoke River provided farmers the perfect spot for tobacco and other crops.

One of those stately homes was Hibernia, built by the Hargrove family in 1798. The house was torn down in 1955, said local historian and N.C. Room Specialist Mark Pace. Few photographs exist of the plantation home, but remnants remain – if you know where to look.

Pace and WIZS’s Bill Harris recently accepted an invitation from Parks Superintendent Bill Stanley to come explore some of the less-traveled parts of the lake, which has nine state-maintained parks along its North Carolina shoreline.

“We went looking for the remains of Hibernia,” Pace said on Thursday’s Around Old Granville segment of TownTalk. “It was one of the more impressive old houses” in the area, he noted. And the two intrepid explorers are pretty certain they found the exact spot where it once stood.

Back then, family homes usually had a family cemetery nearby and so when the Corps was planning to build the lake, the cemeteries’ contents had to be moved. The family plots were moved to a new family cemetery and those of the enslaved people were moved to a couple of different churches nearby.

The earliest gravestone is from 1843, but the enslaved people’s graves were marked only with fieldstone.

In addition to the original house location, they also found the well, the kitchen foundation and a large, brick-lined pit that most likely was the ice house.

Moving over to Satterwhite Point, the duo explored a spring that had been discovered in the 1970’s at the J.C. Cooper campground. It likely was used for nearby Ashland, which was built by the Henderson family in 1740.

“What amazed me is how clear…and cool the water was,” Pace said. “It could have been

the reason why the Hendersons built the house where they did.” There’s a tulip poplar tree still there that possibly predates the house, Pace said.

 

Do you have memories of the area around Kerr Lake before there was a lake? Call Pace at 919.693.1121.

 

CLICK PLAY!

 

TownTalk: Welcome Center Celebrates National Travel And Tourism Week Thursday, May 23

/by

There are nine official Welcome Centers in North Carolina, all positioned along interstate corridors near the borders of neighboring states. But how many of us who live in North Carolina have made a stop as we make our way home from a roadtrip?

Brian Fletcher, manager of the I-85 North Welcome Center in Norlina, said anyone who stops by tomorrow – Thursday – between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. is going to be in for a treat.

“We’re gonna have a party out there tomorrow,” Fletcher said, to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week, observed May 19-25.

Travelers who take a break at the combination rest stop and welcome center can enjoy tasty treats like watermelon, courtesy of the Watermelon Association, and barbecue from Skipper’s. There also will be additional resources available, all to help those traveling to – and through – the state.

Fletcher said the NCDOT operates and maintains the state’s rest areas, but the Welcome Centers are under the N.C. Department of Commerce. And he said welcome center employees are the state’s ambassadors to the traveling public.

Apparently, the state is becoming more and more attractive to the traveling public. In fact, Gov. Roy Cooper said North Carolina is ranked fifth in the U.S. as a domestic travel destination. In 2023, the North Carolina tourism economy totaled $35.6 billion for trips to and within the state, topping the record set just a year earlier by more than $2 billion.

Fletcher said the welcome centers are staffed with certified travel counselors who provide information about nearby attractions and upcoming events.

Visitors spend more than $97 million per day in North Carolina, which, in turn, funnels $7.1 million per day to state and local tax revenues – about $3.7 million in state taxes and $3.4 million in local taxes.

Having a welcome center to provide services for visitors is just one way to encourage people to get off the interstate and enjoy small towns like Henderson – “to encourage tourism spending in the state,” Fletcher said.

From a big weekend extravaganza like Show, Shine, Shag and Dine to a quaint little antiques shop or a downtown boutique, Fletcher said there’s a wealth of information at the welcome center.

“We represent the whole state,” he added, so the travel counselors don’t recommend one restaurant over another, but give folks several options to choose from.

Fun facts about the I-85 North Welcome Center: it was the state’s first welcome center, built in 1968. And the “north” in the name comes from its geographical location: it’s actually located on I-85 South, designed to welcome folks traveling INTO the state.

Have a question? Call 1.800.VISITNC or search online at www.visitnc.com. And the direct number to Fletcher’s center is 252.456.3236.

CLICK PLAY!

 

TownTalk: National Police Week

/by

As part of last week’s observance of National Police Week, U.S. Attorney Michael Easley joined U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and others across the country as they paid tribute to all members of law enforcement for their service within the ranks of federal, state, local and Tribal law enforcement.

“As our country recognizes National Police Week, the Justice Department joins families and communities in remembering the members of the law enforcement community who made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the public,” said Garland in a press statement issued from Easley’s office.

“Policing is difficult and dangerous, yet time and time again, law enforcement officers answer the call, showing up for their communities when they are needed the most,” he continued. “Their devotion to duty is matched only by that of their loved ones who make daily sacrifices to support them.  The Justice Department is committed to doing everything in our power to help provide our law enforcement partners with the resources they need to carry out their noble work on behalf of the public.”

“Every day across North Carolina, law enforcement officers put their lives on the line to protect our communities,” said Easley, who serves the Eastern District. “During National Police Week, we honor their courage and sacrifice. Because of you, Americans can live their lives driven by our highest hopes, dreams and aspirations – and not our greatest fears.  It is also critical to recognize our officers’ families, who support their loved one’s calling to build a safer community.  We owe you all a debt of gratitude.”

In 1962, President Kennedy issued the first proclamation for Peace Officers Memorial Day and National Police Week to remember and honor law enforcement officers for their service and sacrifices. Peace Officers Memorial Day, which every year falls on May 15, specifically honors law enforcement officers killed or disabled in the line of duty.

Each year, during National Police Week, our nation celebrates the contributions of law enforcement from around the country, recognizing their hard work, dedication, loyalty, and commitment to keeping our communities safe.

On Monday, May 13, the names of more than 280 officers killed in the line of duty in 2024 who have been added to the wall at the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial were read during a Candlelight Vigil. To view a recording of the livestream of this event, visit https://nleomf.org/memorial/programs/national-police-week-2024/candlelight-vigil/.

To learn more about National Police Week and the virtual candlelight vigil, please visit www.policeweek.org.

CLICK PLAY!

 

TownTalk: Blessed Trinity Holds Week-Long Revival

/by

Blessed Trinity Ministries, under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Almice Floyd Gill, is hosting a five-day Community Outdoor Revival at Back to Eden, located at 475 Satterwhite Point Rd.

The revival kicks off at 6 p.m. on Monday, May 27 and continues nightly through Friday, May 31.

Gill calls it an “old-fashioned” revival that promises to be inspirational to those who attend in person. And thanks to technology, folks who can’t make it in person can still tune in using a variety of platforms. She’d love to see people from Vance County, as well as surrounding counties, take part in the revival – whether in person or attending remotely.

The theme of the revival is “God’s love, God’s power, God’s purpose, God’s plan,” and Gill said she said the various preachers will be bringing a message of hope.

“We serve a God of hope,” she said on Monday’s TownTalk. With so many people facing challenges these days, Gill wants people to come out – “they will be strengthened by the word of God,” she said.

Gill will preach on Monday, and there will be a different speaker each evening. Others scheduled to speak include:

Tuesday – Evangelist Geraldine Hargrove, associate minister at Brookston Missionary Baptist Church

Wednesday – the Rev. Seaman Rice, New Covenant Faith Ministries

Thursday – the Rev. Dr. Jeanette Floyd, pastor at Dickie’s Grove Missionary Baptist Church

Friday – Bishop Luther K. Brooks, Solid Rock International Ministries

Find Blessed Trinity Ministries on Facebook or join via conference call to listen to the revival each evening. Simply call 605.475.4700 and use Passcode 751573 to connect.

Anyone wishing to make a donation is welcome to do so, she said, adding that there are numerous ways to give: bring cash, check, cashier’s check or money order to the revival or mail to: Blessed Trinity Ministries. P.O. Box 3241 Henderson, NC 27536

Pay online as well using Gill’s number 252.438.0397 and Zelle, Apply Pay or Cash App to $meeciefg.

The proceeds will be used to defray the costs of the revival, including the venue and the guest speakers.

CLICK PLAY!

 

TownTalk: The Future of McGregor Hall

/by

CLICK PLAY!

*************************************

In six short years, Henderson’s McGregor Hall has earned a reputation across the area – and region – as a quality venue for hosting concerts, performances and competitions.

Executive Director Mark Hopper booked perhaps the venue’s most important act last month, however, when the Henderson City Council held its April meeting inside the facility for a one-man show: Hopper took center stage seeking financial support for the 1,000-seat theatre.

Hopper asked the Council for $75,000; County Manager C. Renee Perry told WIZS News that the county received a request for $60,000.

The recommended 2024-25 budget presented Monday to the City Council does not have a line item to support McGregor Hall; Perry told WIZS News that there is nothing in the county budget at present either.

The county commissioners are expected to receive the 2024-25 recommended budget on Tuesday, May 28.

Municipal and county budgets are supposed to be adopted by July 1, which is the start of the new fiscal year, and time is of the essence for McGregor Hall.

“What we need is help with our debt service,” Hopper told the City Council in April. “We will not survive 2025 without support.”

In his April presentation to City Council, Hopper said the venue, although doing very well at the box office, is drowning in mortgage debt. One quarter of the total revenue goes to service the mortgage.

Hopper is the lone full-time employee, and he works alongside five part-time employees and several hundred volunteers.

McGregor Hall is under the governance of the nonprofit Embassy Cultural Center Foundation and is propped up with solid local partnerships, dedicated individuals and business sponsors.

WIZS previously reported on the recent economic impact study that showed McGregor Hall has contributed $9.2 million to the local economy over the past four years – $5.1 in lodging bookings alone. The county benefits from motel/hotel tax revenues; the city and county benefit from taxes generated from the more than 30,000 guests to its rental events, namely in the form of 15 weekends of spring dance competitions.

Hopper said that every single dollar of investment to McGregor Hall brings a return of $31 to the community.

About 40 percent of revenues come from ticket sales, which Hopper said is in keeping with the industry standard. Grant funding, rental fees and concessions each kick in 10 percent and 20 percent from local business sponsors.

It would mean a lot for local government leaders to put a price tag on what it means to have a top-notch venue in Henderson and Vance County that draws patrons from the Triangle to southside Virginia – both to watch performances as well as to be on stage for shows.

Hopper said McGregor Hall is helping to change the perception of Henderson and Vance County, one performance at the time.