Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market

Vance Co. Regional Farmers Market Advisory Board to Meet Feb. 13

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, Agricultural Extension Agent, NC Cooperative Extension

The first meeting of the year for the Vance County Regional Farmers Market Advisory Board will be held on Thursday, February 13, 2020, at 2 p.m. at the Farmers Market (210 Southpark Dr., Henderson, NC).

Meetings are open to the public and there will be an opportunity for public comment.

For more information, please call (252) 438-8188 or email farmersmarket@vancecounty.org.

I Voted Sticker

Vance BOE: Public Hearing Dates for Absentee Ballot Applications

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy the Vance County Board of Elections

LEGAL NOTICE

The Vance County Board of Elections hereby gives notice that public hearings for the consideration of absentee ballot applications for the March 3, 2020, Primary Election will be held at 5 p.m. in the Elections Office on the following dates:

Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

Monday, March 2, 2020

The Board will not be required to hold any of the above-listed meetings unless, since its last preceding meeting, it actually received one or more applications, which it has not passed upon.

Sennica Nicholson, Chair Person

Vance County Board of Elections

300 S. Garnett Street Henderson, NC  27536

(252) 492-3730

Woodland Owner Workshops Offer Tips From Planning to Harvesting

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Paul McKenzie, Agricultural Extension Agent, NC Cooperative Extension

Whether you own 10 acres of woodlands or 1,000 acres, proper planning and management offer countless benefits. Woodland owners who follow a professionally prepared management plan are likely to reap rewards in the form of improved aesthetics, better wildlife habitat and, in the end, more profit.

To learn more, woodland owners can attend a series of free classes in Henderson and Oxford that will take them through the whole process from planning to harvest. The instructors will include professionals from the NC Forest Service and NCSU Extension Forestry. Each class will also feature landowner testimonials.

The classes will meet at 7 p.m. on February 13, May 14, August 13 and November 12, 2020. Topics to be covered include planning, planting, thinning, prescribed fire, harvest and much more. Classes will meet at the Granville Expo Center (2/13 & 8/13) and at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market (5/14 & 11/12).

Complete details and registration information are available at https://go.ncsu.edu/manageyourwoods or by calling 919-603-1350 or 252-438-8188.

Yancey Charged With Rape, Kidnapping

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Vance County Sheriff’s Office

On Wednesday, January 29, 2020, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office Patrol Division responded to a call for service at 141 Chloe Lane in Henderson, NC. When patrol arrived, the victim of a sexual assault was already inside the Vance County ambulance. After speaking with Vance County paramedics about the victim’s injuries, the victim was transported to Maria Parham Health.

The Vance County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Unit was contacted, at which time the victim was interviewed.

Warrants were obtained for the suspect Shamon Keshawn Yancey (age 36) for First Degree Forcible Rape, First Degree Kidnapping and Assault on a Female.

Yancey was placed in the Vance County Detention Center without bond.

On Wednesday, January 29, 2020, the Vance County Sheriff’s Office arrested Keshawn Yancey (age 36) on charges of First Degree Forcible Rape, First Degree Kidnapping and Assault on a Female. (VCSO photo)

District Court Judge Asks Voters to ‘Keep Katherine Burnette’

Katherine Burnette, the incumbent district court judge for the Ninth Judicial District of North Carolina, faces challenger Brian Cloninger in the March 3, 2020 Primary election. The district court judge position serves Vance, Franklin, Granville, Warren and Person counties.

Katherine Burnette, the incumbent district court judge for the Ninth Judicial District of North Carolina, faces challenger Brian Cloninger in the March 3, 2020 Primary election. (Photo courtesy Katherine Burnette)

Appointed district court judge by NC Governor Roy Cooper in 2018, Burnette filled the vacancy created by Judge Carolyn J. Thompson who was appointed to serve as a Superior Court Judge in the Ninth Judicial District earlier that year.

With 15 months of experience as a district court judge, Burnette said her current service coupled with her varied legal experience make her the ideal candidate for the job. “I have 35 years of legal experience, and it’s been broad legal experience; it’s been private practice, clerking for court of appeals judges and bankruptcy judges. I have also been a public servant since 2002 when I became an assistant district attorney in this district.”

Describing the district court process in an interview with WIZS, Burnette said she oversees a range of cases including mental health, child support, abuse/neglect/dependency, family law, domestic violence and criminal.

“I hope the main thing people say about me [as a judge] is that I am fair, that I listen to everyone and that I make reasoned decisions on the bench,” Burnette stated.

She graduated cum laude from Wake Forest University in 1981 with a BA in both English and politics and from the Wake Forest University School of Law in 1984. In 2019, she was awarded a Master of Fine Arts in creative writing from Queens University in Charlotte.

According to Burnette’s website, she has practiced law in state and federal courts and has experience in family law, criminal law, and bankruptcy law as well as civil and commercial litigation. She served as an assistant district attorney for the former ninth (now eleventh) prosecutorial district from 2002-2007.

In her role as an assistant United States attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina from 2007-2011, Burnette received two national service awards for her work in financial litigation, as the civil division’s financial litigation attorney, primarily in the recovery of restitution for crime victims.

From 2011-2018, Burnette served the Violent Crimes Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office where she participated in multiple criminal trials and prosecutions for bank robbery, federal firearms, and controlled substance offenses in North Carolina.

Burnette has also held positions on the NC Board of Elections, NC Board of Ethics and State Personnel Commission.

Burnette and husband Tom, an attorney, reside in Granville County. For more information on her background, awards and volunteer work, please visit https://keepkatherineburnette.com

To hear the interview with Burnette in its entirety, please click the link below.

(This is not a paid political advertisement. Political candidates are offered equal time.)

 

Attorney Brian Cloninger Challenges Burnette for District Court Judge

Brian Cloninger, a Henderson resident and private defense attorney at Cloninger Law Offices, PLLC, will challenge incumbent Katherine Burnette for district court judge of the Ninth Judicial District of North Carolina in the March 3, 2020 Primary election. This position serves Vance, Franklin, Granville, Warren and Person counties.

Brian Cloninger, candidate for the Judicial District 9, District Court Judge seat, is shown here being interviewed on WIZS’ Town Talk program. (WIZS photo)

Cloninger attended public schools and graduated from the Reich School of Education at Appalachian State University in 2000 and the North Carolina Central University School of Law in 2006.

According to Cloninger’s website, he is a current member of the Vance County Bar, the 9th District Bar, the North Carolina State Bar, the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, and the VCS Board of Directors.

He is the Immediate Past President of the Vance County Bar, the Immediate Past Chair of the Criminal Defense Section of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice, and the Immediate Past Chair of the VCS Board of Directors Policy and Personnel Committee.

He is also a former member of the American Bar Association, the North Carolina Bar Association, the North Carolina Association of Educators, and the American Institute of criminal defense attorneys in Festus.

Sharing his knowledge with other lawyers and judges, Cloninger teaches a class titled “Traffic Practice: Doing it Right and Solving Problems: Courthouse-Based Driver’s License Remediation,” which was approved by the North Carolina State Bar for credit toward required continuing legal education.

Cloninger has 14 years of legal experience practicing in the district courts of the 9th District with a concentration in civil and criminal cases. In a recent interview with WIZS, he said it is his experience and the encouragement of his peers that prompted him to enter the race.

“I’ve been asked by people in the system to run for judge, particularly for this seat. They think that I can help because I have been in the district courts of each of the counties in our district almost every day for 14 years. I know the law. I know about the people who make up the justice system and I know what they need to help make this particular seat a better seat.”

District court handles misdemeanor criminal and traffic matters, including domestic and family law cases. According to Cloninger, with 95% of cases ending in a plea deal or some form of deferred agreement, only 5% of district court cases go to trial. District courts see an exceptional amount of cases, with 200 cases on each criminal docket in Vance County alone.

For Cloninger, the incentive of serving as a district court judge is not financial but rewarding all the same. “The incentive is the ability to help more people, to make sure that our district court is a place that people feel like they can go to get equal justice,” he said.

“The role of a judge is to help victims feel safe and comfortable that justice has been served and help offenders get the rehabilitation they need so that once they’ve served their sentence, they can become productive members of the community.”

Cloninger is married and has two children. His wife, Alison Finch Cloninger, is also from Henderson. For more information on his campaign, please visit www.cloningerforjudge.com.

To hear the interview with Cloninger in its entirety, click on the link below.

(This is not a paid political advertisement. Political candidates are offered equal time.)

Vance Co. Schools Announces Pre-K, Kindergarten Registration Dates

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools Pre-K and Kindergarten registration is open and “The Wow Starts Now!” Stop by any of our elementary schools or district office (1724 Graham Avenue) to begin the registration process.

Pre-K is open to children whose fourth birthday is on or before August 31, 2020. Children whose fifth birthday is on or before August 31, 2020, are eligible for Kindergarten.

Between February 24 and March 11, each elementary school will offer two tours on their respective day at 9 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Families are invited to come to any of the tours, meet the administration and ask any questions they may have.

Vance County Schools School Tour Schedule: February 24 – Carver; February 25 – Aycock; February 26 – Dabney; February 27 – EO Young; March 2 – Pinkston; March 3 – EM Rollins; March 4 – New Hope; March 5 – LB Yancey; March 9 – Clarke; March 11 – Zeb Vance.

On March 10 and 12, every elementary school in our district will hold Learning in Action opportunities at 9 a.m. This allows families to come see the class in action and learn about specific programs offered at all of our schools, including Letterland and Feeling Friends.

We would like to remind everyone, you must bring your photo ID to enter our buildings for school tours and our Learning in Action opportunities. We will have district employees on-site at each school tour to assist those wishing to register that day. Registration is also available every day at the district office, where staff are available to assist you with the process.

When coming to enroll, you will need to bring Proof of Residency (utility bill, rental lease, or mortgage statement), the child’s immunization record and their proof of age (birth certificate, medical record, or baptismal record).

Vance County Schools continues to offer phenomenal programs, making sure our learning is personalized and relevant to every single student in our ever-changing world. We are excited to meet our new families and begin their adventure of learning in Vance County Schools. We are truly better together!

Vance County Logo

Vance Co. Board of Commissioners to Meet Mon., Feb. 3

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy Kelly H. Grissom, Clerk to Board/Executive Asst., County of Vance

The Vance County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, February 3, 2020, at 6 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, 122 Young Street, Henderson. The Invocation will be given by Rev. Joseph Ratliff of Shiloh Baptist Church.

Agenda items include:

1. Public Comments

2. Appointment – 6 p.m. – Derek Smith, NCDOT – Update on Litter Abatement Programs

3. Appointment – 6:15 p.m. – Stuart Hill, Thompson, Price, Scott, Adams & Co. – FY 2018-2019 Audit Report

4. Water District Board

a. Committee Report
b. Monthly Operations Report

5. Committee Reports and Recommendations

a. Properties Committee
– Boiler Replacement – Eaton Johnson Gym
– Dennis Building – Light Post Repair
– Eaton Johnson – Updated Architectural Fees
– Eaton Johnson Project Update

b. Intergovernmental Committee
– City/County Joint Programs and Partnerships
– McGregor Hall Funding Request
– Downtown Wi-Fi

6. Finance Director’s Report

a. Surplus Property
b. Purchase of New Ambulance
c. Campbell Oil Lease/Contract

7. County Attorney’s Report

a. REO Properties – New Offers – 318 Rowland Street – Parcel 0073 04002

8. County Manager’s Report

a. Resolution – Black History Month
b. Semi-Annual Jail Inspection Report

9. Consent Agenda Items

a. Budget Amendments and Transfers
b. Tax Refunds and Releases
c. Ambulance Charge-Offs
d. Monthly Reports
e. Minutes

10. Miscellaneous

a. Appointments
b. March Meeting Date

Click here to view current and prior Board agendas.

Town Talk 01/30/20: First Aid & CPR Save Lives When Minutes Matter

THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Jim Gunderson, First Aid and CPR trainer with Durham-based Divers Alert Network (DAN), appeared on WIZS Town Talk Thursday at 11 a.m.

While Gunderson reported that a perhaps surprising 20 percent of Americans have received First Aid and CPR training, he stressed the importance of the remainder of the general public having at least a basic knowledge of how to properly assist someone experiencing an emergency.

“The average response time for EMS to arrive in an urban setting is seven minutes,” explained Gunderson. “It’s 14 minutes, on average, in a rural setting. In a cardiac event, like a heart attack, for every minute you don’t have basic aid, there is a nine percent decrease in neurological recovery.”

These sobering statistics show that “every minute counts; the faster you can get care started, even before EMS arrives, the better chance that person has of surviving.”

Unfortunately, even a well-trained, experienced person administering CPR will have a low chance of successfully reviving the victim, according to Gunderson. “When you perform CPR without an AED or an automated external defibrillator, it’s about a seven percent chance of them surviving. With an AED, the survival rate goes up to as high as 25 percent.”

AEDs are now a staple in many offices and public buildings and can be used on those experiencing a cardiac emergency. The device delivers an electric shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective beating rhythm.

Even though the chances of survival are low, Gunderson said having more of the public trained on First Aid and CPR is worth the effort, especially considering it could be your spouse, child or other loved one who benefits from your training.

According to Gunderson, 70 percent of cardiac events happen in the home, with 10,000 events happening annually in the workplace. Gunderson said Good Samaritan laws help protect those that render aid to the best of their ability from possible litigation.

“Whether it’s saving a life or just making them more comfortable, it’s very rewarding to know that you’ve helped a person,” he said.

First Aid and CPR classes are frequently offered by DAN, the American Red Cross, county health departments, community colleges and first responder units. Gunderson suggested taking a look at your neighborhood events or calling your local organizations to enquire about class offerings and cost. Costs typically range from $5 to $40 depending on the qualifications sought.

“At the bare minimum, I recommend people get trained in full CPR, which is chest compressions and ventilation,” Gunderson said. “They should also be taught to use an AED and how to deal with airway obstructions that cause choking. For basic First Aid skills, they should know how to stop bleeding, how to treat shock and how to splint a suspected break.”

Classes should be taught by qualified instructors and need to be American Heart Association (AHA) and International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) compliant.

To hear the interview with Gunderson in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

American Flag

Vance County BOE Releases Notice of Primary Election

100.1 FM / 1450 AM WIZS; Local News broadcasts M-F 8am, 12pm, 5pm

-Information courtesy the Vance County Board of Elections

NOTICE OF PRIMARY ELECTION – VANCE COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA

A primary election will be held on March 3, 2020, in Vance County to vote on the candidates for the offices of:

DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY

Presidential Preference, US Senate, US House of Representatives District 4, NC Governor, NC Lieutenant Governor, NC Auditor, NC Commissioner of Agriculture, NC Superintendent of Public Instruction, NC Treasurer, NC District Court Judge District 9 (if you live in that district), School Board District 3 and District 5 (if you live in those districts)

REPUBLICAN PRIMARY

Presidential Preference, US Senate, US House of Representatives District 1 and District 4, NC Governor, NC Lieutenant Governor, NC Attorney General, NC Auditor, NC Commissioner of Insurance, NC Commissioner of Labor, NC Secretary of State, NC Superintendent of Public Instruction

LIBERTARIAN PRIMARY

Presidential Preference

CONSTITUTION PRIMARY

Presidential Preference

GREEN PRIMARY

Presidential Preference

Polls will open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. One-Stop early voting will be held at the Vance County Board of Elections Office and Henderson Operational Center.

One-stop early voting will start on Thursday, February 13, 2020, and end on Saturday, February 29, 2020. On Thursday, February 13, 2020, and Friday, February 14, 2020 – 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at both locations; Monday, February 17, 2020 – Friday, February 21, 2020 – 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at both locations; Monday, February 24, 2020 – Friday, February 28, 2020 – 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. at both locations; Saturday, February 29, 2020 – 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Absentee ballots are allowed.  Requests for an absentee ballot must be made on a State Board of Elections Absentee Request Form, available at the County Board of Elections office and at both one-stop early voting sites, and received in the Vance County Board of Elections office or either one-stop early voting site by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25, 2020. Completed absentee ballots must be returned to the Vance County Board of Elections by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 3, 2020.

All residents of Vance County who are registered to vote with the Vance County Board of Elections may vote in this election. Voters who are previously registered need not re-register for this election. Those voters who are registered as unaffiliated may vote in the DEMOCRATIC, REPUBLICAN, OR LIBERTARIAN PRIMARY ELECTION. They CANNOT vote in the CONSTITUTION PRIMARY OR GREEN PRIMARY.

Unaffiliated voters will be given a choice of ballot at the polling places.

Those residents of Vance County who are not registered to vote must register on or before Friday, February 7, 2020, in order to be eligible to vote on Election Day. Those voters who are not registered by Friday, February 7, 2020, may register and vote during one-stop early voting only and will be required to provide documentation of their identity and residence.

Voters who wish to change their party affiliation or who have changed their name or address must notify the Board of Elections in writing by Friday, February 7, 2020. Voters who fail to notify the Board of Elections of a change to their name or address must update their information when presenting to vote and may be required to vote a provisional ballot.

Voters who require assistance with casting their ballot are entitled to assistance by an appropriate person of their choice or an election official. Registration facilities and polling places are accessible to the elderly and handicapped. Curbside voting is available for voters who are not physically able to enter the polling place.

Persons with questions about registration, location of polling places, absentee ballots, early voting at One-Stop locations or other election matters may call the Vance County Board of Elections Office at (252) 492-3730 Monday thru Friday.