Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

State Retirees Get One-Time Bump In This Month’s Check

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Retired state employees may have noticed a slight bump in their retirement checks that hit their bank accounts today. It’s not an error; rather, it’s a one-time supplement to benefit recipients who retired on or before Oct. 1, 2023, and who are members of the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System, Consolidated Judicial Retirement System and the Legislative Retirement System.

For most retired state employees and teachers, the Oct. 25 payment includes an additional 4 percent of their annual benefit – that amounts to $40 for a $1,000 retirement check.

These funds did not come from the Plan itself, N.C. Treasurer Dale Folwell said in a press statement. The money was appropriated by the General Assembly as a part of the budget passed earlier this month. The one-time payments will not reduce the funded ratio of the State System, Folwell noted.

This one-time supplement does not apply to benefit recipients of the Local Governmental Employees’ Retirement System, where a benefit increase may be granted by the LGERS Board of Trustees within certain statutory limitations.

Early Voting Back On Track For Oct. 19 In Mayoral Runoff

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During a second meeting in as many days, the Vance County Board of Elections officially certified the results of last week’s municipal elections, which paves the way for early voting to begin tomorrow (Thursday) as originally scheduled in advance of the Nov. 7 runoff race for mayor.

Since the Oct. 10 election, state and local and state elections officials have been investigating discrepancies surrounding geocoding issues, but it was announced at today’s meeting that the canvass is complete, thereby certifying results for the five contests – four City Council seats and mayor.

During Wednesday’s meeting, Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin read a summary statement issued by the N.C. State Board of Elections which spelled out the steps taken since the issue arose on the evening of Election Day.

The investigation looked at 83 ballots – 68 voters were assigned to incorrect wards and 15 county residents who incorrectly voted in an city-wide election.

There were a handful of other discrepancies noted, but the investigation determined that none of the outcomes would change as a result.

Three Face Drug Charges Following Search Of Home On Faulkner Town Road

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Three Vance County men face a variety of drug charges after law enforcement officers conducted a search of a home on Faulkner Town Road, according to Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame.

Sheriff deputies, along with Henderson Police Department narcotics and vice unit and the SBI, participated in the investigation, which took place at 921 Faulkner Town Road on Oct. 16, Brame said in a press release issued Wednesday.

The execution was the result of a multi-agency investigation regarding illegal drug sales from suspects located both within the target residence as well as the curtilage, Brame said in the statement.

There were five individuals in the home when officers arrived, two juveniles and Shykeyvis Lyons, 21, and Markeyvis Lyons, 20, all described as residents of the home; and Clysaveon Fields, 20, whose address was listed as Pinkston Street, Henderson.

Approximately 130 dosage units of heroin and a certain amount of crack cocaine was located and seized during the search.  Additionally, two firearms, an undisclosed amount of US Currency and various items of drug paraphernalia utilized for the packaging and repackaging of heroin was located.

The following charges have been filed as of the submission of the Press Release:

Shykeyvis Lyons and Markeyvis Lyons were each charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver heroin; felony possession of heroin; maintaining a dwelling to keep/sell/store a controlled substance; and possession of drug paraphernalia. A secured bond of $20,000 was set for each.

Fields was charged with possession with intent to manufacture, sell and deliver heroin; felony possession of heroin, maintaining a vehicle to keep/sell/store a controlled substance; felony possession of cocaine base; and possession of drug paraphernalia.

He was placed under a $50,000 secured bond.

Brame said juvenile petitions are anticipated for the two remaining juvenile suspects, both under the age of 18. This investigation continues and further arrests are anticipated, Brame noted.

Elections Board Calls Recess In Canvass Process, Putting On Hold Certifying Oct. 10 Election Results

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UPDATE 5 P.M. WEDNESDAY, OCT. 18, 2023

Mayoral Runoff Election Early Voting Starts 10-19-23

Geocoding issue resolved

WIZS Radio 5pm News Segment 1 From 10-18-23 Henderson Municipal Election Canvass

Click Here to Play – wizs.com/wizs-radio-5pm-news-segment-1-from-10-18-23-henderson-municipal-election-canvass/

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ORIGINAL POST UPDATED 5 P.M. TUESDAY, OCT. 17, 2023

The Vance County Board of Elections has called for a “recess” in the post-election canvass process – that 10-day window following an election that officials have to verify and certify results.

This action comes one week after the Oct. 10 nonpartisan municipal elections in Henderson that included contests for four City Council seats and a four-candidate field for mayor.

A runoff had been set for the mayoral contest, but those plans also were put on hold earlier today, per the N.C. State Board of Elections. The recess means that none of the contests have been certified.

In a meeting held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Vance Board of Elections Chair James Baines issued the following statement:

“The Vance County Board of Elections is recessing Canvass completion for the Municipal Election that occurred on 10-October-23 because the State Board of Elections has not yet completed the investigation regarding the geocoding issue. Canvass will reconvene once the State Board of Elections notifies the County Board of the completion of the investigation and resolution to the issue.”

As elections board members explained, the process of certifying election results considers all contests as one process; results must “be submitted to the state at once,”  board member Cathy Clodfelter said Tuesday. So because all of the results have not been certified, none of the contests has been certified.

Earlier Tuesday afternoon, Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin informed WIZS News that early voting – set to begin in two days’ time – would not begin as previously announced.

Cocklin read the brief statement to WIZS News from the state board of elections:

“The results of the 10-October-2023 Vance County municipal election have not been officially declared by law, therefore the run-off election cannot be called for at this time.”

A glitch in geocoding is at the heart of the issue, and elections officials acknowledged the state board of the possible problem. As part of election coverage to announce the unofficial results on Oct. 10, WIZS included a statement from Baines that was issued after the polls had closed:

“The Vance County Board of Elections is aware of a geocoding issue that may have caused some voters in the city of Henderson elections to receive a ballot in Tuesday’s election that did not have the correct alderman ward contest. The County Board immediately notified the State Board of Elections, which is working with the county to determine how many voters’ ballots were affected. Election night results are always unofficial, and the post-election canvass process will ensure that the votes are counted correctly for each contest. Election officials will provide additional information about this situation as it becomes available.”

Cocklin provided few details about next steps, but she said she has provided information to the state board as it is requested.
“They’re asking us and we’re providing information as quickly as we can,” she said. “The only thing I know is they are working on it,” she said, “meeting every day – at least once every day.”

Just in case you need a refresher course in civics, here’s some information from the state board of elections website:

“Results on election night are unofficial. Canvass is the official process of determining if the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, resulting in the authentication of the official election results.

For close elections, the canvass period is especially important. During this time, elections officials count absentee ballots that came in before the deadline and research provisional ballots to determine whether they should be counted.

In every county, the canvass meeting when the results are certified is 10 days after Election Day. Because elections thrive on transparency, the canvass meeting is open to the public.”

VGCC Logo

Online 911 Telecommunicator Program A New Option For VGCC Students

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Information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

 

Vance-Granville Community College (VGCC) has teamed up with Richmond Community College to offer a new 911 telecommunications program to residents of Vance, Granville, Franklin and Warren counties.

The two community colleges recently signed an agreement which allows VGCC students to enroll in RichmondCC’s online associate degree program in 911 Communications & Operations. VGCC students will complete a majority of the core courses and the work-based learning portion of the program through RichmondCC while completing other general education requirements at VGCC.

“VGCC is pleased to partner with Richmond Community College to offer the 911 operator degree. Collaborations like these allow us to offer needed training and credentials to our community while being fiscally responsible,” said VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais.

The online degree program provides a pathway for individuals who are interested in starting a career in this field, as well as providing skills enhancement for those already working as 911 telecommunicators.

The college curriculum program was developed when the NC 911 Board reached out to RichmondCC about a need for standardization in training 911 telecommunicators, plus a need to help elevate this career field. The college worked closely with the NC 911 Board and the NC Department of Information Technology to construct the online program.

“We appreciate Vance-Granville coming on board in this collaborative career training partnership to give 911 telecommunicators, who are true public servants, better educational opportunities and career growth,” said Dr. Dale McInnis, president of RichmondCC. “We look forward to working with our neighbors in the Piedmont.”

Unique in the state of North Carolina, RichmondCC’s 911 Communications & Operations program welcomed its first class of students during the fall 2023 semester.

 

RichmondCC has been reaching out to other community colleges in the state to make the 911 telecommunications program and its resources available to more students. VGCC is the fourth NC community college to create such a partnership with RichmondCC; Bladen Community College, Gaston College, and Stanly Community College will also be extending the program to their students.

Richmond County is located near the South Carolina border; RichmondCC’s main campus is located in Hamlet, located roughly between Fayetteville and Charlotte.

For more information about the online 911 Communications & Operations associate degree, call RichmondCC at 910.410.1700. For more information about VGCC, visit https://www.vgcc.edu/.

Upcoming Blood Drives To Support American Red Cross

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The American Red Cross needs donors to sign up to give blood to help meet their goal of 10,000 weekly blood and platelet donations. To sweeten the pot, all donors who come out between Oct. 21 and Nov. 9 will get a $10 gift card by email to a restaurant of their choice. Donors also will be automatically entered to wins a $5,000 gift card; one winner will be chosen at random each week during Oct. 21-Nov. 7, Red Cross officials said. See details at RedCrossBlood.org/Lunch.

As cold and flu season quickly approaches, the Red Cross reminds donors that they can still give blood or platelets after receiving a flu vaccine, as long as they are feeling healthy and well on the day of their donation. Likewise, there is no deferral or wait time for those receiving the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

Donors have been stepping up lately, which is good, but demand continues to outpace donations and the Red Cross has several upcoming blood drives in the four-county area.

Upcoming events are noted below:

 

Henderson

10/23/2023: 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Henderson Family YMCA, 380 Ruin Creek Rd.

11/7/2023: 10 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., Maria Parham Health, 566 Ruin Creek Rd.

11/7/2023: 11 a.m. – 3:30 p.m., Vance Granville Community College, 200 Community College Rd.

11/8/2023: 8 a.m. – 12:30 p.m., Kerr Vance Academy, 700 Vance Academy Rd.

 

Stem

10/31/2023: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m., Granville Central High School, 2043 Sanders Rd.

 

Louisburg

10/21/2023: 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m., Rock Spring Baptist Church, 34 Rock Springs Church Rd.

 

A blood donor card or driver’s license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Individuals who are 17 years of age in most states (16 with parental consent where allowed by state law), weigh at least 110 pounds and are in generally good health may be eligible to donate blood. High school students and other donors 18 years of age and younger also have to meet certain height and weight requirements.

To make an appointment, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).  

Henderson Mayor Runoff Election Set For Nov. 7; Early Voting Begins Oct. 19

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Significant updates and changes have occurred since this original post on Oct. 13.  It is strongly recommended that you review the new information available as of 4:30 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2023 in bold rather than the original post.

The Vance County Board of Elections has called for a “recess” in the post-election canvass process – that 10-day window following an election that officials have to verify and certify results.

This action comes one week after the Oct. 10 nonpartisan municipal elections in Henderson that included contests for four City Council seats and a four-candidate field for mayor.

A runoff had been set for the mayoral contest, but those plans also were put on hold earlier today, per the N.C. State Board of Elections. The recess means that none of the contests have been certified.

In a meeting held at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Vance Board of Elections Chair James Baines issued the following statement:

“The Vance County Board of Elections is recessing Canvass completion for the Municipal Election that occurred on 10-October-23 because the State Board of Elections has not yet completed the investigation regarding the geocoding issue. Canvass will reconvene once the State Board of Elections notifies the County Board of the completion of the investigation and resolution to the issue.”

As elections board members explained, the process of certifying election results considers all contests as one process; results must “be submitted to the state at once,”  board member Cathy Clodfelter said Tuesday. So because all of the results have not been certified, none of the contests has been certified.

Earlier Tuesday afternoon, Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin informed WIZS News that early voting – set to begin in two days’ time – would not begin as previously announced.

Cocklin read the brief statement to WIZS News from the state board of elections:

“The results of the 10-October-2023 Vance County municipal election have not been officially declared by law, therefore the run-off election cannot be called for at this time.”

A glitch in geocoding is at the heart of the issue, and elections officials acknowledged the state board of the possible problem. As part of election coverage to announce the unofficial results on Oct. 10, WIZS included a statement from Baines that was issued after the polls had closed:

“The Vance County Board of Elections is aware of a geocoding issue that may have caused some voters in the city of Henderson elections to receive a ballot in Tuesday’s election that did not have the correct alderman ward contest. The County Board immediately notified the State Board of Elections, which is working with the county to determine how many voters’ ballots were affected. Election night results are always unofficial, and the post-election canvass process will ensure that the votes are counted correctly for each contest. Election officials will provide additional information about this situation as it becomes available.”

Cocklin provided few details about next steps, but she said she has provided information to the state board as it is requested.
“They’re asking us and we’re providing information as quickly as we can,” she said. “The only thing I know is they are working on it,” she said, “meeting every day – at least once every day.”

Just in case you need a refresher course in civics, here’s some information from the state board of elections website:

“Results on election night are unofficial. Canvass is the official process of determining if the votes have been counted and tabulated correctly, resulting in the authentication of the official election results.

For close elections, the canvass period is especially important. During this time, elections officials count absentee ballots that came in before the deadline and research provisional ballots to determine whether they should be counted.

In every county, the canvass meeting when the results are certified is 10 days after Election Day. Because elections thrive on transparency, the canvass meeting is open to the public.”

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Original Post Oct. 13, 2023:

County elections officials have confirmed that a runoff election to determine the next mayor of the City of Henderson is set for Tuesday, Nov. 7. Residents will be able to vote early, beginning Thursday, Oct. 19.

None of the four mayoral candidates received the 50 percent plus 1 vote needed to be declared the winner in Tuesday’s nonpartisan municipal elections; Melissa Elliott led the field with just more than 48 percent of the vote, and Greg Etheridge requested a runoff on Wednesday. That request was granted when it became clear that the provisional ballots would not be enough to give Elliott the necessary votes to prevent a runoff.

The person who receives more votes will be declared the winner.

The early voting period will run from Thursday, Oct. 19 until Friday, Nov. 3.  The Monday-through-Friday hours are 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.
The location is the Dr. Andrea Harris City of Henderson Operations Center on Beckford Drive.  And just as was the case for the recent municipal election, the final Saturday before the runoff date will feature early voting as well.  That lone Saturday, Nov. 4, features early voting hours of 8:30 a.m. until 3 p.m.

If all of that seems familiar, it is because essentially it’s the same in principle as the election that was just held.  The new director of the board of elections, Jennifer Cocklin, told WIZS News the early voting had “to be done the same way.”

And when the runoff date of Nov. 7 arrives, voters will be able to return to the nine precincts used most recently and vote from 6:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m.

Big Ruin Creek Missionary Baptist Church Celebrates 143 Years Sunday

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Big Ruin Creek Missionary Baptist Church is observing its 143rd anniversary Sunday and invites the community to join in the celebration.

The worship service begins at 11 a.m. Pastor Charles W. Burwell will deliver the sermon; Sunday School begins at 9:30 a.m.

The C.W. Walton Voices of Praise will provide special music for the occasion and a meal will follow the service.

The church is located at 16 Big Ruin Creek Lane.

Anyone unable to attend in person can view the service online, which will be livestreamed on the church’s Facebook page.

 

MPH Shines A Pink Light On Breast Cancer Awareness

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Information courtesy of Donna Young, MPH Market Coordinator, Communications and Marketing

Pink lights will illuminate the Maria Parham Health campus in Henderson through the month of October as the hospital observes Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

The front entrance will be bathed in a pink glow, serving as a reminder for women to get screened for breast cancer, which the American Cancer Society said claims 40,000 lives each year.

Breast cancer is most treatable and curable when detected at its earliest stages. clinical breast examinations and mammography are key to early detection. Women should ideally have a clinical breast exam every three years starting at age 20, and every year starting at age 40. Women should also have yearly mammograms starting at age 40.

“The impact of cancer on an individual, their family and loved ones is profound and can be devastating,” said Bert Beard, Maria Parham’s CEO. “With the advancements in surveillance and detection of breast cancer, it is really a matter of creating awareness and educating our communities of the importance of screenings and mammograms. Going pink is just one more way we remind everyone to be aware, take action, and get screened.”

Maria Parham Health will also observe “Pink-Out Day” on Oct. 20, when team members at all MPH facilities will don pink attire in support of Breast Cancer Awareness.

If you would like to schedule a mammogram or talk with a provider about your breast health, call 800-424-DOCS. For more information on breast cancer and mammograms, visit https://www.breastcancer.org/  and https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/breast/.

Vance Sheriff Accepts $691,536 From N.C. Rep. Sossamon For Body-Worn Cameras

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Vance County Sheriff Curtis Brame wants his employees to be safe when they are performing their duties, and he’s crunched the numbers, so he knows the price tag for state-of-the-art equipment.

When he learned that local legislators could make a request for body-worn cameras and supporting equipment from something called non-recurring funds, he got in touch with N.C. Rep. Frank Sossamon, (R. Dist. 32) who represents Vance County and most of Granville County.

“I gave him the numbers and the platform (information and) it was granted, thank God,” Brame told WIZS News in advance of a meeting Thursday, where Sossamon presented a check to Brame and county officials for $691,536.

“This will be a big help for us,” Brame said. The funds will be used to outfit sheriff’s staff and detention staff with body-worn cameras and the supporting equipment needed to upload and store video footage. In addition to providing an extra layer of protection for the officer, Brame said the cameras will be useful if a situation were to arise and false claims are lodged against his officers.

In an interview earlier this week, Sossamon said he’s “elated” for Brame, his staff, and the residents of Vance County.

“We have some appropriation chairs that are very, very pro law enforcement,” Sossamon said in an interview this week. “Any time they can support law enforcement, they’re going to do it.”

The equipment, Sossamon predicted, will be a selling point for recruiting, not to mention “a morale booster for the sheriff and for his officers.”