Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

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Vance Co. Board of Commissioners to Meet Mon., Dec. 9

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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, December 9, 2019, at 6 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, 122 Young Street, Henderson. The Invocation will be given by Pastor Carolyn Roy, Plank Chapel United Methodist Church.

Agenda items include:

1. Reorganization of Board

  • Election of Chair
  • Election of Vice-Chair

2. Adopt Schedule of Holidays

3. Renewal of Board of Commissioners Meeting Schedule

(First Monday of each month at 6 p.m., unless otherwise noted)

4. Public Comments (for those registered to speak by 5:45 p.m. – speakers are limited to five minutes)

5. Appointment – 6:15 p.m. – Lisa Harrison, Health Department

  • Annual Report
  • Community Health Assessment Priority Update

6. Public Hearing – 6:30 p.m. – Angie Blount, Planning & Development

  • Rezoning Request – Case #RZ20191114-1, Big Ruin Creek Lane: Parcels 0404 03013 and 0404 03014

7. Water District Board

  • Committee Report
  • Monthly Operations Report

8. Committee Reports and Recommendations

a. Properties Committee

  • Carpet Replacement (Courthouse & Admin Building)
  • Courthouse HVAC Unit Replacements
  • EDC Office Relocation
  • Lease Agreement
  • District Attorney Office Renovation
  • Eaton Johnson Gym
  • Former Henderson Laundry

9. County Attorney’s Report

a. REO Properties – Bid Acceptance

  • 107 Briarcliff Street – Parcel 0214C 02025
  • Ranes Drive – Parcel 0055 01035

10. County Manager’s Report

  • Surplus Property – Police Canine
  • Resolution – Removal of Register of Deeds Records for Preservation
  • Joint Venture Agreement with the City of Henderson

11. Consent Agenda Items

  • Budget Transfer
  • Tax Refunds and Releases
  • Ambulance Charge-Offs
  • Monthly Reports

12. Miscellaneous

  • Appointments

Click here to view current and prior Board agendas.

Vance Co. Schools to Host District-Wide Family Night Dec. 10

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

-Information courtesy Vance County Schools

On Tuesday, December 10, Vance County Schools will be hosting its next District-Wide Family Night at E.M. Rollins Elementary School. The event will begin at 5:30 p.m.

There will be snacks for those who attend and child care for children under 12.

Topics will include “Engagement and Advocacy in Your Child’s Education” & “Today’s Math and Reading are Fundamental.”

“Engagement and Advocacy in Your Child’s Education” will inform parents about ways to advocate and engage with their child’s school at each grade level.

“Today’s Math and Reading are Fundamental” will educate families about current reading and math techniques to better equip parents to understand and assist students with homework.

VCS hopes to have the community attend these informative sessions.

Town Talk 12/05/19: ‘Smart’ Technology is Watching & Listening!

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program featured a general discussion of “smart” technology (phones, televisions, baby monitors, etc.) and what is being heard, seen and recorded.

WIZS’ John Charles reminded listeners that anything that responds to a voice command has a microphone that is “listening” to conversations in your home and business.

Likewise, anything with a camera – such as most new smart televisions – has the potential to capture video images.

Smart technology also has the capability to track the user’s location at all times.

Just how much of what is being recorded and how the information is stored and used is unknown. What is clear, for better or worse, is that it is increasingly difficult to maintain a true sense of privacy in a more technological-savvy world.

To hear today’s segment in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.

Vance County Sheriff's Office

VCSO: Beware of Gift Card Scam Using Sheriff Brame’s Name

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

-Information courtesy Sheriff Curtis Brame

The Vance County Sheriff’s Office has received credible reports that someone hanging around Walmart in Louisburg is attempting to sell gift cards to shoppers by stating that they are associated with Sheriff Curtis Brame and the VCSO.

In a phone call to WIZS, Sheriff Brame stated that this is a scam and neither he or the VCSO are associated with the sell of any gift cards.

During the holiday season, scams are rampant and the public is urged to use caution when purchasing gift cards from anyone other than a reputable merchant.

VGCC Receives $194K Grant From Duke Energy & Piedmont Natural Gas

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-Press Release, Duke Energy

Vance-Granville Community College today announced a $194,160 investment from Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas. The funds will help connect students with hands-on training and career development opportunities.

The investment will be used to expand apprenticeships in the fields of Mechatronics, Industrial Maintenance and Welding, as part of VGCC’s “Business & Industry Connect” program. The college will be able to purchase new equipment, provide tuition supports for students and implement additional training, including the nationally-known “Tooling U-SME” program.

From Left to Right: Kenneth Wilson, Tanya Evans (district manager, Duke Energy), VGCC President Rachel Desmarais, Ken Lewis, Eddie Ferguson. (VGCC photo)

“This grant represents a huge boost to our local industry partners and to students who are looking to energize their careers,” said VGCC President Dr. Rachel Desmarais. “We appreciate the continuing support of Duke Energy and Piedmont Natural Gas because apprenticeships are part of VGCC’s multi-pronged approach to addressing workforce shortages so that our economy can grow.”

“We are proud to partner with Vance-Granville Community College to connect students with apprenticeship and workforce training opportunities,” said Tanya Evans, district manager, Duke Energy. “These students will help meet the growing and evolving needs of the region’s manufacturing industry.”

This grant is part of Duke Energy’s $35 million investment in North Carolina’s Community Colleges’ focus on technical education and support of business and industry. Individual community colleges could apply for funds through the North Carolina Community Foundation and the Foundation for the Carolinas.

Applications were reviewed by a committee of representatives from Duke Energy, NC Community College System and NC Department of Commerce.

‘Festival of Trees’ Wraps Up With Silent Auction on Sat.

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-Information courtesy the Vance County Regional Farmers Market

The Vance County Regional Farmers Market is hosting The Festival of Trees fundraiser for the Boys and Girls Club of Vance County now through Friday.

Don’t miss the chance to wander through a winter wonderland of fully and creatively decorated Christmas trees by local businesses and individuals, enjoy performances of seasonal music by local artists and even meet Santa!

The event runs through December 3-6 at the VCRFM from 2 – 7 p.m. Admission is $5 per adult (children under 12 get in free). All proceeds go to support the Boys & Girls Club of Vance County.

Really want a Christmas tree this year, but don’t have time to decorate one? No worries. Many of the trees on display at The Festival of Trees are for sale through a silent auction bid process. Bidding ends Saturday, December 7 at 11 a.m.

The VCRFM is located at 210 Southpark Drive in Henderson.

Photo courtesy VCRFM.

Photo courtesy VCRFM.

H-V Chamber Logo

Henderson-Vance Chamber Seeking Nominees for Citizen of the Year

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

-Information courtesy the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce

The Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce is currently seeking nominations for the 2019 Citizen of the Year.

This annual award honors an individual who has made a significant contribution and demonstrated a commitment to the advancement of Henderson and Vance County.

The criteria used in making the selection includes:

  • The person must be a resident of the Henderson-Vance County community.
  • The acts and good deeds for which the award is presented must have been performed for the benefit of Vance County and its citizens.
  • The community at large should recognize, once the award is made, that it is deserved.
  • The activities resulting in the award should be regarded outside the recipient’s normal business or profession.
  • The recipient does not have to be a member of the Chamber.

Citizens and Chamber members are encouraged to nominate those they feel are deserving of this recognition.

Nomination forms are available at the Chamber and should be submitted in writing to the Chamber office by Friday, January 3, 2020.

The award will be presented at the Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Meeting and Banquet to be held Thursday, January 30, 2020, at the Vance-Granville Community College Civic Center.

For information or a nomination form, please contact the Chamber at 252-438-8414 or e-mail sandra@hendersonvance.org.

Social Services to Offer Heating Assistance for Eligible NC Residents

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

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services will begin accepting applications through county social services departments for the state’s Low-Income Energy Assistance Program on Monday, Dec. 2, 2019.

Households including a person aged 60 or older, or disabled individuals receiving services through the Division of Aging and Adult Services who have a life-threatening or health-related emergency due to a lack of heating, are eligible to sign up for assistance Dec. 2 – 31, 2019.

All eligible households may apply from Jan. 2 – March 31, 2020 — or until funds are exhausted.

“This funding can help assist eligible individuals and families with their heating expenses during the winter months,” said David Locklear, Deputy Director of Economic and Family Services in the Division of Social Services. “We want to ensure families are healthy and safe during some of the most difficult times of the year.”

The federally funded program helps households with low incomes with a one-time payment made directly to their heating vendor to offset the high cost of keeping their homes warm.

To apply, individuals should contact their county department of social services (PDF). Applications will be accepted until funds are exhausted.

To be eligible, a household must:

  • Have at least one U.S. citizen or non-citizen who meets the eligibility criteria
  • Have income equal to or less than 130 percent of the federal poverty limit; for example:
  • For a household of one, a gross monthly income of $1,353.00.
  • For a family of four, a gross monthly income of $2,790.00.
  • Have resources, such as saving and checking accounts or cash on hand, at or below $2,250
  • Be responsible for their heating cost

For more information on the program and eligibility, visit https://www.ncdhhs.gov/assistance/low-income-services/low-income-energy-assistance.

Former Early College Student Credits VGCC for Success

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

-Information courtesy Vance-Granville Community College

Oneisha Rebecca Leonard came to Vance-Granville Community College in 2011 as a Granville Early College High School student. “I was a good student, with mostly A’s and B’s, but I was not as focused on school as I should have been until I began taking classes at Vance-Granville,” Leonard recalled.

She said that because of her college classes, “I became more focused on my future.”

Oneisha Leonard, former Granville Early College High School student, is pictured on her May 2019 graduation day from Winston-Salem State University. (Photo courtesy VGCC)

Leonard said that VGCC prepared her for the next level of education by helping her hone not only her academic skills, such as writing papers and doing research but also her time management skills. Eventually, she transferred to Winston-Salem State University.

“Vance-Granville gave me the tools I needed to succeed in college by preparing me for what to expect and what was expected of me,” Leonard said. “My instructors at Vance-Granville were, and still are, some of the best instructors I have ever had.”

She credits her academic experience at VGCC with setting the stage for her to make the dean’s list every semester at the university. She also became a student leader, as a member and chapter president of Sigma Tau Delta, the international English honor society. “I also presented at the South Atlantic Modern Language Association Conference this past November in Birmingham, Alabama, where I gave a presentation on my research on post-colonialism and psychoanalytic theory as it related to western colonization,” Leonard said.

With her VGCC credits and preparation, Leonard was able to graduate a year early from Winston-Salem State University in May 2019 with a bachelor’s degree in English. Now, she is preparing to attend graduate school. But she still appreciates where her higher education began, saying, “I would like to thank Vance-Granville Community College for all they have done for me, while I attended and after I left.”

Town Talk 12/03/19: ‘Shop With A Cop’ Raffle Winners Announced

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THIS STORY IS PRESENTED IN PART BY DRAKE DENTISTRY

Tuesday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk featured the “Shop With A Cop” raffle winner announcement recorded at 10 a.m. this morning at Sadie’s Coffee Corner in downtown Henderson.

This annual event is sponsored by the Henderson Police Department, Vance County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce and Maria Parham Health. This year’s fundraiser will provide local law enforcement with $5,000 to take 40-45 disadvantaged youth Christmas shopping at Walmart later this month.

Photo courtesy H-V Chamber of Commerce

Participating youth are selected by the Vance County Department of Social Services each year through a referral process. DSS partners with local law enforcement and monetarily assists Shop With A Cop to help make this experience a reality for the children it serves.

Changing up the fundraising format this year, 180 “envelope” tickets with various dollar amounts were sold. The higher the dollar amount on the envelope, the higher the potential raffle prize money for donors. Cash prizes included a drawing for $200, $500, $1,000 and $2,000.

The Chamber was happy to announce, thanks to the generous support of the community, all 180 tickets were sold and the 2019 fundraising goal was met.

Names were drawn at random and the raffle winners were:

$200 – Lauren B. Roberson

$500 – Alice Sallins

$1,000 – Michael Waters

$2,000 – Dr. William Wooten

To hear the Shop With A Cop segment in its entirety, go to WIZS.com and click on Town Talk.