Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

Sheriff Curtis Brame Selected To Statewide Community Violence Advisory Board

/by

Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame is one of 25 people from across the state to serve on the state’s first Community Violence Advisory Board. The board’s first meeting was held virtually, with plans to gather in person in January.

Among the agenda items for Wednesday’s initial meeting were completion of a survey on core issues and barriers, as well as setting expectation for collaboration and engagement. The next meeting is scheduled for January.

NCDPS Secretary Eddie M. Buffaloe, Jr. made the selections, which includes representatives from law enforcement., public health, social services and other disciplines. The board will serve as a centralized strategic resource connecting the growing number of programs working across law enforcement, public health, social services and other disciplines to reduce violence and firearm misuse in N.C. communities.

Brame told WIZS News that the purpose is to “get more resources in rural areas” to reduce crime and violence, as well as firearm misuse in communities all across the state.

As part of the executive order establishing the N.C. Office of Violence Prevention, the Community Violence Advisory Board is a specialized body formed to provide expert guidance and strategic advice. It plays a pivotal role in enhancing the effectiveness of violence prevention programs across the state.

“Across our state, organizations are digging in and doing the work to reduce violence in their local communities,” said NCDPS Deputy Secretary Caroline Valand, who leads partnership engagement for the agency. “This board will bring these leaders together in a discussion that will help to elevate all of our individual efforts.”

“Violence prevention requires a connection between organizations that may not traditionally work together,” said Gerard Tate, executive director of the Office of Violence Prevention. “My team is pleased to be hosting this first conversation, and we are looking forward to building a centralized repository of resources that support all stakeholders working on violence prevention.”

Vance County Logo

Candidates Have Two More Days To File For 2024 Local Elections

/by

UPDATE 6PM ON 12-15-23

It looks like there will be two contested seats on the Vance County Board of Commissioners in next year’s election, with two candidates running for the District 1 seat and two candidates running in District 2. The two-week filing period ended at 12 noon today, Friday, Dec. 15.

Valencia L. Perry filed Friday for the District 2 seat and will face incumbent Archie B. Taylor, Jr., according to information provided by Shelly Wood, deputy director of the Vance County Board of Elections; Taylor filed last week. In addition to Taylor, three other commissioners filed to retain their seats on the board: Carolyn Faines in District 1; Leo Kelly in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster in District 6.

Faines also faces a challenger in next year’s election. William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat.

There are three seats up for election on the Vance County Board of Education, with District 5 the only contested race of the three. Incumbent Linda Cobb filed for re-election. She will face challenger William Earl Purvis, who filed on Wednesday as a Democratic candidate. Incumbent Dorothy Williams Gooche filed as the Democratic candidate for District 3 and Ayana Fritz Lewis filed as a Democratic candidate for District 4.

Primary elections will be held on March 5, 2024 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

(PLEASE ALLOW THIS CORRECTION TO THE ORIGINAL POST BELOW.  SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 1 WAS ELECTED IN 2022 AND IS NOT UP FOR ELECTION AGAIN UNTIL 2026.)

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

Original Post:

Three more candidates have filed for seats on the school board and board of commissioners this week, according to Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin.

Candidates have until 12 noon on Friday, Dec. 15 to file for four seats on the Board of Commissioners and four seats on the Board of Education.

On Tuesday, Carolyn Faines filed as a Democratic candidate to retain her District 1 seat on the board of county commissioners. Dorothy Williams Gooche also filed on Tuesday as a Democratic candidate for District 3 of the Board of Education.

Archie B. Taylor, Jr. filed as a Democrat on Monday for re-election for the District 2 seat on board of commissioners.

In the first week of the two-week filing period, Linda Cobb filed as the Democratic candidate to retain her School Board District 5 seat.

William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat on the county board of commissioners, currently held by Faines.

Leo Kelly, who was elected vice chair during the December meeting of the county commissioners, filed for re-election to the District 5 seat.

County commissioners in districts 1,2,5 and 6 will be elected in the 2024 elections. Carolyn Faines holds the District 1 seat, Archie Taylor holds the District 2 seat, Leo Kelly is in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster is the District 6 commissioner.

Candidates for county commissioner will pay a $138.59 filing fee, payable by check, and must present a valid photo ID, live in the district they wish to file for and be 21 years old by Election Day. Primary elections will be held on March 5 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

Candidates for school board will pay a $72 filing fee. Seats in Districts 3,4 and 5 will be up for election.

Vance County Logo

Board Of Elections: Week 1 Of Filing Period Yields Three Candidates In 2024 County Elections

/by

UPDATE 6PM ON 12-15-23

It looks like there will be two contested seats on the Vance County Board of Commissioners in next year’s election, with two candidates running for the District 1 seat and two candidates running in District 2. The two-week filing period ended at 12 noon today, Friday, Dec. 15.

Valencia L. Perry filed Friday for the District 2 seat and will face incumbent Archie B. Taylor, Jr., according to information provided by Shelly Wood, deputy director of the Vance County Board of Elections; Taylor filed last week. In addition to Taylor, three other commissioners filed to retain their seats on the board: Carolyn Faines in District 1; Leo Kelly in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster in District 6.

Faines also faces a challenger in next year’s election. William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat.

There are three seats up for election on the Vance County Board of Education, with District 5 the only contested race of the three. Incumbent Linda Cobb filed for re-election. She will face challenger William Earl Purvis, who filed on Wednesday as a Democratic candidate. Incumbent Dorothy Williams Gooche filed as the Democratic candidate for District 3 and Ayana Fritz Lewis filed as a Democratic candidate for District 4.

Primary elections will be held on March 5, 2024 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

(PLEASE ALLOW THIS CORRECTION TO THE ORIGINAL POST BELOW.  SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT 1 WAS ELECTED IN 2022 AND IS NOT UP FOR ELECTION AGAIN UNTIL 2026.)

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

Original Post:

As the first week of the filing period for the 2024 general elections coms to a close, Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin reports that two people have filed for county commissioners’ seats and one candidate has filed for re-election to the Board of Education. Candidates have until noon on Friday, Dec. 15 to file for four seats on the board of commission and four seats on the Vance County Board of Education.

Linda Cobb filed Friday as the Democratic candidate to retain her School Board District 5 seat.

On Thursday, William Heitman filed as a Republican candidate for the District 1 seat on the county board of commissioners, currently held by Carolyn Faines.

Leo Kelly, who was elected vice chair during Monday’s regular meeting of the county commissioners, filed for re-election to the District 5 seat on Tuesday.

County commissioners in districts 1,2,5 and 6 will be elected. Carolyn Faines holds the District 1 seat, Archie Taylor holds the District 2 seat, Leo Kelly is in District 5 and Yolanda Feimster is the District 6 commissioner.

Candidates for county commissioner will pay a $138.59 filing fee, payable by check, and must present a valid photo ID, live in the district they wish to file for and be 21 years old by Election Day. Primary elections will be held on March 5 and the general election is slated for Nov, 5, 2024.

Candidates for school board will pay a $72 filing fee. Seats in Districts 3,4 and 5 will be up for election.

Drop Off Letters To Santa At Aycock Rec Center Saturday

/by

Bring the kids out to Aycock Recreation Center Saturday morning for a chance to write letters to Santa and even get photos with the Jolly Old Elf himself! The Grinch will be on hand as well, but he won’t be trying to keep Christmas from coming – promise.

The Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department is hosting the free children’s event from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 9, according to information from Crystal Allen.

Kids can send off their letters, enjoy some holiday goodies and take part in some special craft activities.

Parents and grandparents, make sure you bring your camera to snap some photos.

Contact Allen at 252.431.6091 or crystalallen@henderson.nc.gov to learn more.

Aycock Rec Center is located at 307 Carey Chapel Road in Henderson.

Vance County Logo

Elevated Lead In County Water Most Likely Isolated Cases, Manager Explains

/by

Vance County commissioners and staff recently became aware of a couple of elevated lead values in water samples in the Vance County Water District, Phase 1A.

The two locations – one on Warrenton Road and one on Vicksboro Road – showed twice the allowable levels of lead at .030 MG/L. The threshold is .015 MG/L.

At the time, Vance County Manager Renee Perry said that, in addition to informing the public in a variety of ways about the levels, Envirolink – the county’s contracted water department – would perform more sampling to determine the source of the lead.

Perry followed up with additional information to WIZS stating that the Vance County Water District has collected a total of 70 lead/copper samples in phase one since 2014.. During that period only three samples have exceeded the DEQ’s allowable limit – one in 2020 and two this year.

Actually, it took three months for the Department of Environmental Quality to notify the County, and, in general, the questions that have arisen have been numerous.

The Vance County Water District was designed and built without lead components.  And only two samples exceeded the allowable threshold.

According to Perry, the elevated samples appear isolated and not a system-wide problem.

“This is typically an indicator of resident plumbing due to the isolated results and age of the VCWD system.  DEQ has requested testing of the phase one entry point which is scheduled for (this) week.  Once the results of this test are received DEQ should provide additional guidance.”

MPH Cancer Center Angel Fund Gets $19K Boost From Henderson Firefighters

/by

Flanked by a dozen or so fire department colleagues, Henderson Battalion Chief Lee Edmonds presented a check for more than $19,000 to members of the Maria Parham Health Oncology Department on Thursday afternoon.

The money – $19,070.06 to be exact – will be deposited into the cancer center’s Angel Fund, which helps cancer patients in a variety of ways – from helping defray transportation costs to buying medicine and equipment. Hope Breedlove, a social worker at Maria Parham, said the gift for the Angel Fund comes from angels in the community, courtesy of the fire department’s annual “fill the boot” campaign.

“You’re the angels behind the Angel Fund,” Breedlove told the firefighters upon accepting the donation.

Breedlove said 100 percent of the money goes to meet the very special needs of the patients that come to Maria Parham for treatment.

She said the’s crunched the numbers and roughly two patients each day get help from the Angel Fund. “That’d be two treatments that they wouldn’t get,” were it not for the money made available through the firefighters’ fundraising.

The fundraiser had humble beginnings eight years ago with a t-shirt sale, but for the past five years, firefighters have positioned themselves empty boots in hand, in front of the fire station on Dabney Drive, asking for donations.

Edmonds and colleagues handed over the fruits of their labor Thursday afternoon to hospital staff outside the entrance to the Cancer Center, Big Engine 1 providing the backdrop for the presentation.

“This has been a hard year for us,” Edmonds told those assembled to witness the presentation. Fire Chief Steve Cordell lost a valiant battle with cancer in January.

Tim Twisdale was selected to succeed Cordell and he was on hand Thursday as well. “Thank you,” he told the hospital staff, many of whom were in their work scrubs, “for what you’re doing…for all who may not have the necessary funds” to get to and from appointments and treatments.

City Manager Terrell Blackmon echoed those sentiments, adding that city leaders appreciate what the hospital does for the community.

Blackmon said his father died of cancer, and he knows firsthand the impact that cancer has on its victims and their loved ones.

Optimist Club Essay Contest Open; Deadline Feb. 2, 2024

/by

The Optimist Club of Henderson’s essay contest is now open! The deadline to submit entries is Feb. 2, 2024.

This year’s theme is “Optimism: How It Connects Us,” and Diane Barberio said the contest is open to any Vance County resident who is a student in primary or secondary school under the age of 19 who hasn’t completed high school.

First prize is $150; second prize is $125 and third prize is $100. The first-place winner advances to the district level for an opportunity to receive a $2,500 scholarship prize.

Entries can be dropped off at Schewel’s Furniture, 940 S. Beckford Dr. with Charles Hearn.
For more information, contact Barberio at optimist2324essay@gmail.com or visit the club’s Optimist Club of Henderson Essay Contest Facebook page.

Dec. 12 Program To Discuss Supporting Children Of Incarcerated Parents

/by

As part of its continuing Community Information Series, Baskerville Funeral Home is the location for a program to support children whose parents are in prison or are set to be released from incarceration.

Our Children’s Place of Coastal Horizons Program Director Melissa Radcliff will lead the discussion titled “Invisible Sentence: Recognizing, Supporting and Advocating For Children of Incarcerated and Returning Parent” on Tuesday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m.

The funeral home is located at 104 S. Chestnut St., Henderson.

The program is free and open to the public.

TownTalk: Vance County Schools Gets Federal Money To Focus On Teacher Recruitment, Retention

/by

Vance County Schools is among close to a dozen school districts across the state to receive part of $24 million in federal grants over the next three years to focus on teacher recruitment and retention.

VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett said the district is among eight districts working with a Raleigh-based nonprofit called The Innovation Project for this particular grant award, which will be about $3.6 million for the next three years from the U.S. Department of Education.  TIP is kicking in money, too, Bennett said on Thursday’s TownTalk. The total VCS can expect to receive over the next three years is about $12.5 million.

The district plans to hire eight instructional coaches and also will name 16 lead teachers – one at each school – to help provide support, feedback and suggestions to colleagues.

“It’s a difficult time to find teachers,” Bennett said, and rural communities often struggle, even in the best of times, to hire educators.

The grant money will be used to enhance support for teachers – in the form of peer support – but also to enhance teacher salaries and allow for sign-on bonuses.

Smaller districts often can’t compete with larger, more urban districts that entice teachers with higher salaries, bonuses or supplements. But Bennett said VCS has “to focus on some of the  other benefits,” such as increased and meaningful support from coaches and colleagues. “that is a good retention tool,” she said.

Bennett said the instructional coaches will have the opportunity to work with students and teachers, whether through co-teaching situations, professional development sessions and more. Ideal candidates will be professionals with a proven track record of high achievement and student progress and who possess a strong skill set of working with adults.

Principals and assistant principals can receive monetary awards in schools that achieve certain levels of student achievement.

Bennett said district leaders continue to crunch the numbers and analyze student achievement data to plot their course. “Our test data continues to remind us that we have much ground to cover,” she said, adding that schools offer tutoring and intervention during the school day, as well as after-school opportunities and transportation for those students who need it.

She said school leaders are trying to remove any hurdles to participation and be able to state that the district is providing the best educational opportunities for its students.

“Nothing changes in a year,” she said.

CLICK PLAY!

 

VCS November Student Spotlight Honorees

/by

Two Vance County Schools fifth graders share the November Student Spotlight, whose goal is to celebrate exceptional students who are making a difference in their schools.

This month’s honorees are Olivia Zheng of Dabney Elementary and MiLay Cheek at New Hope Elementary, according to Grace Herndon, VCS Communication & Innovative Support.

The Student Spotlight program, sponsored by Vance County Schools and the Vance County Public School Foundation, aims to celebrate students who demonstrate excellence in academics and exhibit commendable qualities like kindness, dedication and a commitment to personal growth.

 

Olivia Zheng, Dabney Elementary

Olivia Zheng, a fifth grader at Dabney Elementary, is described as a model student. She is an excellent student and also promotes a harmonious school environment. Olivia’s

love for math and dreams of a future in the medical field showcase her passion for learning and making a difference. Her motivation to attend school comes from positive experiences with teachers and friendships. She is fascinated by the history of the Mayans and Aztecs and enjoys helping peers with homework.

Aside from academics, Olivia has always aspired to visit Hawaii. If Olivia could have any superpower, she would choose teleportation so that she could go to Disneyland. Moreover, she actively contributes to her school community by assisting peers with homework, showcasing her commitment to collaboration. Her advice to fellow students is to work and study hard, listen to teachers, and follow the rules. Olivia’s admiration extends to her parents,

who serve as a source of care and support in her life. If given a magic wand, Olivia’s wish would be for money.

 

MiLay Cheek, New Hope Elementary 

MiLay has a love of learning and demonstrates a dedication to whatever she does. Since

transitioning from virtual school to New Hope, MiLay has felt the warmth of the school community

and the encouragement from dedicated teachers, especially Mrs. Broughton, who keeps her excited about learning. MiLay’s passion for literature is evident, finding joy in reading for fun. Academic goals fuel her dreams, with hopes of attending STEM Early High and ultimately reaching Harvard to pursue her passion of becoming a veterinarian. MiLay has taken an interest in the Aztecs, Mayans, and Incas in Social Studies. While MiLay focuses on school and family, she finds inspiration in her aunt and mom—two strong role models who embody resilience and hard work.

Beyond academics, MiLay extends kindness to her peers, stepping in to mediate conflicts and create a positive atmosphere. Her dream adventure takes her to Washington, DC, where she envisions exploring the White House with friends. Her advice to fellow students centers on making good choices, focusing on schoolwork, and setting life goals. If granted a superpower, MiLay would choose mind reading to understand people’s thoughts.