Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

NC Forest Service

Forest Service Urges Residents To Hold Off Burning Yard Debris, Leaves

There’s a slight chance of rain early next week, but local forest service officials are encouraging area residents to hold off burning those leaves or other yard debris until the area has had some good rainfall.

It’s fall wildfire season and the area has been put in the abnormally dry to moderate drought category, according to N.C. Forest Service County Ranger Rob Montague. Local fire departments and the forest service have responded to 24 fire calls in Vance and Granville counties so far in November, according to information from the local forest service office.

“Due to limited rainfall, falling leaves adding dry fuel to the ground and dry conditions, the N.C. Forest Service urges citizens to be cautious with campfires and when burning yard debris,” according to the statement.

The fall wildfire season typically lasts from mid-October until mid-December, the time of year when people do a lot of yard work that may include burning leaves and yard debris. The leading cause of wildfires in North Carolina is debris burning. When left unattended, debris fires can escape and start wildfires. Most of the recent fires started from debris burning or discarded wood stove ashes.

There are many factors to consider before burning debris. The N.C. Forest Service encourages residents to contact their local county forest ranger before burning debris. The ranger can offer technical advice and explain the best options to help ensure the safety of people, property, and the forest. The local number for Granville and Vance counties is (919) 693-3154. To find contact information for other offices, visit www.ncforestservice.gov/contacts.

For people who choose to burn debris, the N.C. Forest Service offers the following tips to protect property and prevent wildfires:

  • Consider alternatives to burning. Some types of debris, such as leaves, grass and stubble, may be of more value if they are not burned, but used for mulch instead.
  • Check local burning laws. Some communities allow burning only during specified hours. Others forbid it entirely.
  • Make sure you have a valid permit. You can obtain a burn permit at any N.C. Forest Service office or authorized permitting agent, or online at www.ncforestservice.gov/burnpermit.
  • Keep an eye on the weather. Don’t burn on dry, windy days.
  • Local fire officials can recommend a safe way to burn debris. Don’t pile vegetation on the ground. Instead, place it in a cleared area and contain it in a screened receptacle away from overhead branches and wires.
  • Household trash should be hauled away to a trash or recycling station. It is illegal to burn anything other than yard debris.
  • Be sure you are fully prepared before burning. To control the fire, you will need a hose, bucket, steel rake and a shovel for tossing dirt on the fire. Keep a phone nearby, too.
  • Never use kerosene, gasoline, diesel fuel or other flammable liquids to speed up debris burning.
  • Stay with your fire until it is completely out.

Burning agricultural residue and forestland litter: In addition to the rules above, a fire line should be plowed around the area to be burned. Large fields should be separated into small plots for burning one at a time.

Before doing any burning in a wooded area, seek input and technical advice from County Ranger Rob Montague at 919.693.3154.

VGCC Logo

VGCC Online ‘Holiday Mini-Term’ Classes Run Nov. 29 to Dec. 24

Vance-Granville Community College is offering more than a dozen online classes as part of its Holiday Mini-Term. The deadline to pay for the classes is Wednesday, Nov. 23 at noon.

The mini-term will be sandwiched in between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve – Nov. 29-Dec. 24, according to information from VGCC.

Current students should speak with their academic advisor to learn more about the classes; new students should contact the admissions office at 252.738.3327 to get started with the enrollment process.

Following is a list of classes that will be offered:

  • College Transfer Success (ACA 122)
  • Introduction to Business (BUS 110)
  • Introduction to Computers (CIS 110)
  • Introduction to Criminal Justice (CJC 111)
  • Law Enforcement Operations (CJC 121)
  • Corrections (CJC 141)
  • Crisis Intervention (CJC225)
  • Personal Health/Wellness (HEA 110)
  • Critical Thinking (HUM 115)
  • Music Appreciation (MUS 110)
  • American Government (POL 120
  • General Psychology (PSY 150)
  • Introduction to Sociology (SOC 210)

Visit vgcc.edu to learn more.

(VGCC is an advertising client of WIZS.  This is not a paid ad.)

Butterfield Announces Retirement; Served 1st Congressional District For Almost 18 Years

Congressman G.K.Butterfield, Jr. has announced that he will not seek re-election to the U.S. House of Representatives next year, ending almost 18 years of service in Washington, DC.

Butterfield, a Democrat, has represented North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District since 2004. Most of Vance County and all of Warren County are included in the district.

In a video address announcing his retirement, Butterfield, 74, criticized the state legislature’s newly enacted district map that he called “partisan.”

“It is time for me to retire and allow the torch to be passed to someone who shares the values of the district and can continue the work that I’ve labored so hard for the past 18 years.”

He said he is proud of his work in Congress and said that although the country faces challenges, “I am confident that our best days are yet ahead.”

 Butterfield offered thanks to his family and his “competent and loyal” staff in Washington and in North Carolina for their continued support.

“To those of you who have helped me and encouraged me, I want to take this opportunity to thank you – thank each one of you – from the bottom of my heart.”

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Farmers Market Site of Annual Holiday Market Saturday – Just In Time For Thanksgiving!

The Vance Regional Farmers Market will host a handcrafted holiday market Saturday, Nov. 20. In addition to seasonal produce, dozens of vendors will be on site from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. with unique gift items from soaps and candles to quilts and wood crafts.

Holiday ornaments and wreaths also will be available for purchase, according to market manager Pat Ayscue.

Just in time for the upcoming Thanksgiving, there will be baked goods and fresh turkeys available, as well as other food items like local honey and local pasture-raised pork and beef.

The NC State Master Gardeners of Vance and Warren counties will be in the Memorial Garden at the farmers market to provide advice on late-season gardening and preparing your garden for winter. There will be a silent auction for two rain barrels with the proceeds going to the Master Gardeners.

McGregor Hall

McGregor Live! Series Tickets Available Now; Five Shows In 2021-22

The McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center 2021-22 lineup seems to have something for everyone, from a holiday ballet to the Big Band sound, with a little Parrothead music thrown into the mix for good measure.

Tickets are now on sale for the McGregor Live! Series package and the five individual shows. The ticket booklet is available for $130 plus tax.

Kicking off the 21-22 season is a ballet performance of A Christmas Carol on Dec. 5 at 4 p.m. Then, on Dec. 17 at 7:30 p.m., Christmas With The Celts will take the stage.

North Carolina playwright Garrett Davis’s work “Living With Ruthie Mae” will kick off the 2022 offerings on Jan. 16 at 2 p.m.

Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville show will be held Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m. and the season finale is The Duke Ellington Orchestra on April 22 at 7:30 p.m.

Call the McGregor Hall ticket office Monday-Friday between 1:30 p.m. and 5 p.m. at 252.598.0662 to purchase tickets or visit www.mcgregorhall.org.

(McGregor Hall is an advertising client of WIZS. This is not a paid ad.)
NC Coop Extension

Tobacco Growers Vote Nov. 18 On Whether To Continue Check-off Program To Fund Research

Update 11-19-21

Paul McKenzie, agriculture agent for Vance and Warren counties, said the results will be available the week of Nov.22.

••••••••••••••

Area tobacco growers join others across the state this week to vote whether to continue a self-assessment of 10 cents per 100 pounds of flue-cured and burley tobacco sold to support tobacco research and education.

The vote will take place on Nov. 18, and Paul McKenzie, agriculture agent for Vance and Warren counties, said a two-thirds vote in the affirmative will mean that the check-off program will be good until 2027.

The check-off program started in 1991 and allocates more than $200,000 annually to tobacco-related research and extension projects at N.C. State University. State law requires a referendum be held every six years.

“This referendum is important to the future of tobacco production in North Carolina,” said Sonia Murphy, president of the N.C. Agricultural Foundation and state check-off coordinator. “Federal funding for tobacco research ceased in 1994, and state support has declined in recent years due to state budget reductions.

“I encourage tobacco growers to vote on this important check-off,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “A two-thirds majority of votes is needed to pass the assessment, so be sure to cast your vote.”

Funds from the check-off are allocated by the N.C. Tobacco Research Commission, whose membership includes the Commissioner of Agriculture, the N.C. Farm Bureau Federation president, the N.C. State Grange president, the Tobacco Growers Association of North Carolina president and the chairman of the N.C. Tobacco Foundation.

Ballots will be available for tobacco growers at county extension offices on Nov. 18.  Contact your local N.C. Cooperative Extension office for specific information regarding polling locations and times.

Vance County Extension – 252.438.8188.

Granville County Extension – 919.603.1350

Warren County Extension – 252.257.3640

Franklin County Extension – 919.496.3344

Vance County Schools Logo

VCHS Theater Arts Class Creates Winning Video For Statewide Contest

A team of theater arts students at Vance County High School won first place in a statewide video contest sponsored by the N.C. School Boards Association.

Board of Education Chair Linda Cobb and board member Ruth Hartness recently accepted the award on behalf of VCHS.

Teacher Samantha Campbell and her theater arts class produced the video, titled

Each year, the NCSBA gives a theme upon which school districts develop the video, according to Aarika Sandlin, director of communication & marketing for VCS.

“Vance County High School theater art students were up to the challenge and worked together to create a video that encompassed the theme, but also elements of our district,” Sandlin told WIZS via email.  We are elated that our theater arts class has once again come out on top! Ms. Campbell’s class developed an idea and worked together to make it come to life. We are elated that our theater arts class has once again come out on top!” she added.

The students’ video was among 31 videos submitted. VCHS has brought home top honors in 2018 and 2019, Sandlin noted.

The video borrows from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and features a parent struggling to decide whether public schools can overcome challenges, from integration to COVID-19.  She is visited by ghosts of education past, present and future before making her decision. The video is 1:34 minutes long and uses silent-movie techniques of mood-setting music and alternating script and film to create a vintage feel. In the end, the parent, Yvonne Vance, makes her decision about her daughter’s education.

View the video: https://www.vcs.k12.nc.us/site/default.aspx?PageType=3&DomainID=4&ModuleInstanceID=25&ViewID=6446EE88-D30C-497E-9316-3F8874B3E108&RenderLoc=0&FlexDataID=6505&PageID=1.

Vance County Sheriff's Office

15-Year-Old Surrenders To Sheriff’s Office In Oct. 19 Shooting Death of 14-Year-Old

A 15-year-old turned himself in Wednesday to the Vance Sheriff’s Office following the fatal shooting of a teenager last month.

Sheriff Curtis Brame told WIZS News via email today (Friday) that the juvenile who surrendered himself to authorities has been charged with first-degree murder. The shooting happened on Oct. 19 on Foxfire Drive.

The victim, 14-year-old Rosendo Montiel, died at Duke University Hospital from a gunshot wound on Oct. 21.

The suspect surrendered shortly before 10 p.m. on Nov. 3, Brame said.

An earlier press release from the sheriff indicated that the shooting had occurred on Tuesday, Oct. 19 shortly before 12:30 p.m. The Vance County Sheriff’s Office responded to 318 Foxfire Drive in reference to a gunshot victim, the press release stated.

 

At the scene, it was discovered that a 14-year-old had suffered a gunshot wound “causing life threatening injuries and was transported to Duke University Hospital.”

 

Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigators were able to identify a suspect and obtain a secure custody order for the 15-year-old suspect. The original charge of attempted first-degree murder was changed to first-degree murder on Oct. 21.

Brame said the investigation is ongoing.

H-V Chamber’s Nominating Committee Offers Slate Of Directors

The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce has announced its proposed slate of directors for the upcoming year.

The nominating committee submitted the following members to be reappointed to serve a second three-year term for 2022-2024:

  • Ronald Bennett, Variety Wholesalers and Hillside Farms
  • Jenny Hester, Prim Development and Rentals
  • Bert Long, HG Reynolds Co.
  • Hal Muetzel, Express Employment Professionals
  • Turner Pride, Vance County Extension Service
  • Bert Beard, Maria Parham Health – move from an ex-officio position to serve a three-year term
  • Scott Burwell, Kennametal – appoint to fill a vacant one-year term remaining on an unexpired term 2020-2022
  • Karrie Fogg, Fred’s Towing and Transport – appoint to fill a vacant two-year term remaining on an unexpired term 2021-2023

Burgess told WIZS News that bylaws allow for additional names to be submitted for consideration. Bylaws require the president to send the proposed slate of nominations to all members in good standing. Any additional nominations must be received within 10 days of the mailing and 10 other chamber members must agree to the nomination. Any nominees would be discussed at the November meeting before the formal vote is taken.

McKinley Perkinson Named New Director Of Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission

McKinley Perkinson has been selected to be the new director of the Henderson-Vance Economic Development Commission. She will begin her new role on Nov. 15, according to information from Vance County Manager Jordan McMillen.

Perkinson was marketing director for Maria Parham Health for four years and most recently has worked with Franklin County EDC as a project manager to enhance the county’s website and online presence for, among other things, economic development and tourism.

She told WIZS News that she is happy to be coming back to work in Vance County. She is no stranger to the role economic development plays in a community – her previous jobs have allowed her to interact with the economic development sector.

“I have always worked very closely with economic development,” she said, of her time with Maria Parham Health and before that as marketing and public relations manager of VCU Community Memorial Hospital in South Hill, Va.  Hospitals located in smaller towns often drive the economy, she said. And “everybody wants their hometowns to have strong economies.”

Perkinson said she will draw from her education in communications and her experience to “be that great fit” for Vance County’s economic development. She said her short-term goal is to focus on the county’s current businesses and industry to make sure business leaders are aware of all resources available to help them, especially those financial resources that are a response to COVID-19.

She also will focus on the county’s strategic plan for economic development – goals for the next year, five years, and beyond – and looking for ways to make the likelihood for achieving those goals even greater.

“Economic development is not a job that solely falls on one person,” she said.  “It is a team effort. You’ve got to have strong relationships with everyone to be successful.”

In a press release, McMillen said Perkinson “brings optimism, energy and passion for Henderson and Vance County and has proven to be a creative force in marketing in her past roles.” He added that she is well positioned to continue leading the effort of the county’s recent economic development successes. “McKinley is an outstanding fit for this role,” he said.

In the search for an economic development director, McMillen said the ideal candidate would be “creative, able to work with the community and local businesses to build relationships, and one who has passion for improving the community.”

Perkinson said she feels that timing is everything, and “this is my time to bring my skills and my experience” back home to Vance County. “Everything happens in its own time,” she added.

“I love Vance County – it’s home.”