Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

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Vance Public Safety Committee to Hold Joint Meeting With Fire Assoc.

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

Please be informed that Vance County’s Public Safety Committee (Wilder, Brummitt, Faines) is scheduled to meet jointly with the Vance County Fire Association on Monday, September 16, 2019, at 7 p.m. at Epsom Volunteer Fire Department, 8064 NC 39 Hwy S., Henderson.

Scholarship Fund Established at VGCC in Memory of Local Teacher

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

Friends and colleagues of the late Robert C. Pirie, Jr., have established a scholarship fund in his memory at Vance-Granville Community College.

Pirie passed away in May at the age of 75. A Vance County native, he was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, including service in Vietnam. He retired from the Vance County school system after teaching for more than 30 years, primarily at Zeb Vance Elementary School.

From left, Mike Bullard, Billy Horner, Wanda Bullard and VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson meet to discuss plans for the scholarship in memory of Robert Pirie. (VGCC photo)

Retired educators Michael and Wanda Bullard, along with Pirie’s best friend, Billy Horner, and his wife, Patricia Horner, helped set up the scholarship at VGCC. “I was a student of Mr. Pirie’s during his first year of teaching and then had the honor of teaching with him for 12 years,” Wanda Bullard said. “He encouraged me to become a teacher and then became my mentor. We became very close and I thought of him as a second father. I am one of many that he encouraged and supported.”

Bullard noted that Pirie received several awards for his math teaching abilities. He also coached the Zeb Vance Eagles Pee Wee football team for many years and was well-respected in the school system and the community. She recalled that Pirie and Horner shared a love of college sports, attending numerous Duke University home football games and ACC basketball tournaments together.

When Pirie struggled with health issues in his later years, Bullard and Horner helped take care of him. “He was like family to both of us,” Bullard said. “We wanted to start the scholarship in his name as a way to continue his legacy of encouragement and support of students being the best they can be.”

“We are touched that those who knew and worked with Mr. Pirie, those he taught and those he inspired, have been generous and thoughtful enough to honor his memory through a scholarship,” said VGCC Endowment Director Eddie Ferguson. “When fully endowed, this new scholarship will help VGCC students continue their education, and that’s a perfect way to pay tribute to an outstanding educator.”

Through the Endowment Fund, VGCC has awarded more than 9,400 scholarships to students since 1982. Scholarships have been endowed by numerous individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff.

Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business or industry with a lasting gift to education.

For more information or to make a contribution to help fully endow this scholarship, call Kay Currin at (252) 738-3409.

Contributions to the scholarship fund can be mailed to the Vance-Granville Community College Endowment Fund, at P.O. Box 917, Henderson, NC 27536.

Vance Charter School Earns ‘B’ Grade, Exceeds Expected Growth

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-Information courtesy Renee Currin, Vance Charter School

On Wednesday, the North Carolina State Board of Education approved school performance data for all public schools in North Carolina. We are proud to announce Vance Charter School earned a B letter grade and exceeded expected growth for the 2018-2019 school year.

This is a testament to the diligent work our students and teachers demonstrated on a daily basis and their commitment to academic excellence.

Please congratulate our students and teachers for this accomplishment and help spread the word about our success.

Vance Charter is UKnighted!

H-V Rec. Dept. Introduces First ‘Kiddie Kardio’ Class for Preschoolers

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-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center

The Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Department introduces its first fitness class for preschoolers. Kids ages one to five will move and groove, play and stretch to fun music while bringing out lots of energy!

Parents must stay and supervise and are welcome to join in on the fun.

Classes will be held at the Aycock Recreation Center in Henderson on October 7, 14 & 21, 2019, from 6 – 6:30 p.m.

Cost is $1 for members, $2 for non-members.

For more information, please contact Lauren Newlin, Aquatics Program Supervisor, at lnewlin@ci.henderson.nc.us or (252) 438-3160.

Dr. Emma White Joins Maria Parham Women’s Care

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-Information and photo courtesy Maria Parham Health

Maria Parham Health (MPH), a Duke LifePoint hospital, is excited to announce that Emma White, DO has joined their women’s care practice, Maria Parham Women’s Care. Dr. White joins the community from Pitman, New Jersey where she has completed her residency program.

Dr. White earned her medical degree from Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine in Spartanburg, South Carolina. She completed a residency program at the Rowan School of Medicine in Stratford, New Jersey.

Dr. White is a member of the American Medical Women’s Association, American College of Osteopathic Obstetrics and Gynecology, American Osteopathic Association and the North Carolina Osteopathic Medical Association.

When she is not working, Dr. White enjoys sporting activities, mountain recreations, reading, traveling and quality time with her friends and family.

Dr. White is now accepting patients at Maria Parham Women’s Care located at 1209 SE Industry Drive in Oxford, North Carolina. This practice offers women’s health care services including well woman visits, obstetrical care, birth control management, high risk pregnancy care and menopause management.

To schedule an appointment, please call (252) 492-8576.

Vance County Logo

Vance Co. Board of Commissioners Meeting Set for Mon., Sept. 9

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

The Vance County Board of Commissioners will meet Monday, September 9, 2019, at 6 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, 122 Young Street, Henderson. The Invocation will be given by Pastor Ron Cava, First Baptist Church.

Public Comments (for those registered to speak by 5:45 p.m. – each speaker is limited to five minutes)

2. Appointment 6 p.m. Kendrick Vann, Recreation Director Recognition of Baseball and Softball Teams

3. Appointment 6:15 p.m. Porcha Brooks, Tax Administrator Online Business Listings

4. Water District Board

a. Staff Report

b. Monthly Operations Report

5. Committee Reports and Recommendations

a. Public Safety Committee

– Emergency Operations Plan

– Fire District Redistricting

b. Planning/Environmental Committee

– Land Clearing and Inert Debris Landfill

– Zoning Ordinance Amendment

– Flood Damage Prevention Ordinance Amendment

6. Finance Director’s Report

a. Surplus Property

7. County Manager’s Report

a. Fall Litter Sweep Proclamation

b. Appointment of Finance Officer

c. Fire Engine Donation

d. Justice Assistance Grant

e. Evans & Associates – Tax Audit Renewal Contract

8. County Attorney’s Report

a. REO Property Bid Acceptance

– 340 Davis Street – Parcel 0027 07015

– Gun Club Road – Parcel 0407 01024B

– Woodsworth Road – Parcel 0303 02005

b. REO Property – New Offers

– 14 Colenda Lane – Parcel 0325A02011

– Cedar Cove Road – Parcel 0593 01031

9. Consent Agenda Items

a. Budget Amendment

b. Tax Refunds and Releases

c. Monthly Reports

d. Minutes

10. Closed Session

a. Personnel Matters

Click here to view current and prior Board agendas.

Aycock Rec. Center to Expand Offering of Fall Swim Lessons

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-Information courtesy Tara Goolsby, Henderson-Vance Recreation and Parks Facilities Supervisor, Aycock Recreation Center

Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks will offer fall swim lessons at the Aycock Recreation Center for ages 3 – adults on six consecutive Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays beginning the week of September 10.

The fee for the series of lessons is $30.

For additional information, including class times by age and registration deadlines, please see the posted flyer below.

Contact:

Lauren Newlin, Aquatics Program Supervisor

lnewlin@ci.henderson.nc.us ~ (252) 438-3160

https://ci.henderson.nc.us/departments/recreation-and-parks/

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Reports First Storm Outages, Provides Important Reminders

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Please check the WIZS website, Facebook page and listen live to WIZS 1450 AM and 100.1 FM for storm updates. The latest briefing from the National Weather Service can be found any time by clicking here.

-Information courtesy Tanya Evans, District Manager, Duke Energy

We are beginning to see the first storm-related outages this afternoon as Hurricane Dorian storm bands reach our state. And while we aren’t expecting hurricane force winds locally, we do anticipate severe weather conditions which will lead to outages.

Across the state, we are still projecting as many as 700,000 customers or more could experience extended outages from this storm.

How to see outages in your area

See the outage map at www.duke-energy.com/outages.

You can view outages in a few ways. On all devices, you can use the search bar to find a specific address or location.

When looking at the map, you will see circle icons of varying sizes indicating the location and number of customers without power. One outage on the map could represent multiple homes and businesses. Pan the map and select a circle to zoom in on your location.

Or you can select the zoom (+/-) in the lower right corner of the map, and then use the mouse to drag left, right, up or down to navigate to the location you want to view. Or, you can select the zoom (+/-) in the lower right corner of the map, and then use the mouse to drag left, right, up or down to navigate to the location you want to view.

On a mobile device, use the pinch open gesture to zoom in and the pinch close gesture to zoom out, and then use the drag gesture to move the outage map to the desired location.

Email and text communication

We have been sharing prepare messages and updates with customers who have email addresses registered with us. In addition, a text message was sent today to customers who do not have an email on file with us:

“Duke Energy Storm: Dorian is bringing high winds & excessive rainfall to parts of our state. Prepare for dangerous conditions & extended outages. Our crews are nearby and ready to move as soon as conditions allow.  Visit https://duk.us/06 for latest info. Heed all warnings and stay safe. Text STOP to cancel.”

 Outage reporting  

Customers who experience an outage during the storm can report it by:

Visiting duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.

Texting OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).

Calling the automated outage-reporting system at 800.419.6356.

For storm or power restoration updates, follow Duke Energy on Twitter (@DukeEnergy) and Facebook (Duke Energy). See the outage map at www.duke-energy.com/outages.

Important reminders

The following tips can help you and your family stay safe if the power goes out:

  • Stay away from power lines that have fallen or are sagging. Consider all lines energized as well as trees, limbs or anything in contact with lines.
  • Charge cellphones, computers and other electronic devices in advance of the storm to stay connected to important safety and response information. Consider purchasing portable chargers and make sure they are fully charged as well.
  • Maintain a plan to move family members – especially those with special needs – to a safe, alternative location in case an extended power outage occurs or evacuation is required.
  • Pet owners should make arrangements to stay at evacuation shelters that accept pets; friends’ or family members’ homes; or pet-friendly hotels.
  • Report all power line hazards using the following phone numbers:
  • Duke Energy Carolinas customers – 800.769.3766
  • Duke Energy Progress customers – 800.419.6356
  • Please do not use 911 to report a downed power line unless it is a life-threatening emergency. If a power line falls across a car that you’re in, stay in the car and dial 911. If you MUST get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.Click here for a video demonstration and to read more about safety around power lines.

Vance Co. Schools Surpass State Graduation Rate for First Time

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

The performance of the Vance County Public Schools ticked up last year in several areas and revealed areas needing continued focus on the state’s annual School Performance Grade accountability measurements. This year more schools met or exceeded expectations for student gains and more schools earned grades of C or better than in previous years. VCS also posted the highest graduation rate in the history of the district.

At the end of our first year with our newly consolidated schools, while improvements were made at both schools, these data reveal mixed reviews. Vance County High School, while improving its biology scores by 26 points from 23% in 2018 to 49.4% in 2019, earned a school performance grade of D, missing improving their overall grade to a C, by less than one percentage point.

Additionally, Vance County Middle School, while making tremendous progress including increases in grade level proficiency by 6.2 points in reading from 30% in 2018 to 36.2% in 2019; 12 points in math, from 13.9% in 2018 to 26.4% in 2019 and 20.5 points in science from 34% in 2018 to 54.7% in 2019, earned a school performance grade of F. This was extremely disappointing, as they missed earning the next letter grade of D, by less than .04 of a percent.

The district also had several other bright spots in the report – 9 of 15 schools (60%) earned a letter grade of C or better.

Two schools – STEM Early High Middle School and Vance County Early College High School – earned the School Performance Grade of A.

Seven schools – Aycock, Carver, Clarke, Dabney, LB Yancey, Pinkston, and Zeb Vance – earned the School Performance Grade of C.

Four schools – EM Rollins, EO Young, New Hope and VCHS – earned the School Performance Grade of D and one school – VCMS earned the School Performance Grade of F.

8 of 15 schools (54%) met or exceeded growth – VCECHS, STEM-EH, Aycock, Carver, Dabney, EO Young, New Hope, and Pinkston Street.

Additionally, we are extremely proud of our STEM Early High Middle School and Vance County Early College students who posted perfect scores of 100% on the 8th grade science end-of-grade test and the Biology end-of-course exam.

We are also pleased to report that our 2018-2019 graduation rate is 86.7%, compared to the states graduation rate of 86.4.  This represents an increase of four-points over last year’s four-year graduation rate and a 21.8 point increase in six years.  This is the highest graduation rate in the district’s history and the first time VCS has ever surpassed the state average.

Superintendent, Dr. Anthony Jackson said, “This is a tremendous accomplishment and credit must be given to our entire team. We have worked diligently to implement strategies over the last few years to address the graduation rate and we are pleased to see a return on these efforts.”

Six years ago, Vance County Schools’ posted a graduation rate of 64.9% – the lowest in the state. “The graduation rate this year is a huge jump and we certainly are proud of that,” said Jackson. “The high school diploma gives our students options after graduation to pursue higher education, enlist in the military or to join the workforce prepared to be successful. We will not be satisfied until all of our students graduate on time, the stakes are too high to accept otherwise.”

The district is already working to address areas of deficit, train staff and implement new structures to support students. The district invites the community to its annual State of OUR Schools address on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at 6 p.m. at Vance County High School to hear both our challenges and accomplishments as well as our plans for continuous improvement.

Town Talk 09/05/19: H-V Crime Stoppers to Hold 24th Annual Banquet

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The 24th Annual Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers Awards Banquet will be held Thursday, September 19, 2019, at Vance-Granville Community College’s Civic Center at 6:30 p.m.

James Baines, Crime Stoppers president, was on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk to encourage the public and business community to support the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year.

Individual tickets for $12 and reservation of tables are available by contacting Lorraine Watkins at Henderson’s Screen Master on S. Garnett St., John Faucette at Carolina Carpet & Flooring on Parham Street or by calling Baines at (252) 430-9218.

Speaker for the occasion will be Secretary of State Elaine Marshall, with dinner provided by Ted Wheeler Catering.

The Tom Long Memorial Award, Sam Pearson Memorial Award, Community Award and Citizen of the Year Award, among others, will be issued to deserving community members and are always a big draw for the banquet.

“I’m hoping the community will come out and support Crime Stoppers because we support our community and our law enforcement,” Baines said.

To hear Baines’ interview in its entirety, please click the play button below. Listen live to WIZS’ Town Talk Monday-Friday at 11 a.m. on 1450AM, 100.1 FM or online at www.wizs.com.