Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

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VGCC To Offer Students Access To Virtual Textbooks, Course Materials Beginning Spring 2024

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-information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Vance-Granville Community College is making course materials more affordable and accessible for students. November 3 the college announced the launch of the new VGCC Textbook+ initiative, which lowers the cost of learning materials through a partnership with textbook publisher Cengage. Beginning in the spring 2024 semester, students will be able to access digital Cengage course materials through the Moodle platform starting on the first day of class.

“With textbook prices rising every year, VGCC wants to help students with the cost as much as possible,” said Dr. Kim Sepich, vice president of Learning, Student Engagement & Success at Vance-Granville. “We want our students to have what they need as quickly and as economically as possible, and VGCC Textbook+ makes this happen.”

VGCC’s Textbook+ initiative provides Cengage Unlimited Institutional subscriptions to students, which allows first-day access to a virtual library of thousands of e-books, online learning platforms and study materials covering hundreds of college-level subject areas in one place at a single price. Vance-Granville is helping its students save hundreds of dollars per semester on textbooks and course materials with the addition of the Cengage Unlimited Institutional program.

“Cengage has made a significant commitment to lowering course materials costs for students,” said Edwin Robles, senior vice president and general manager of U.S. Higher Education and Canada at Cengage. “Vance-Granville Community College shares this commitment. Working together, we will support VGCC students by making education more affordable and accessible for all.”

Since its August 2018 launch, Cengage Unlimited has helped more than 5.2 million students save nearly $630 million on the cost of course materials, with $230 million of that savings coming directly from institutional partnerships. For more information on institutional partnerships for Cengage Unlimited, visit www.cengage.com/institutions.

 

 

Oak Level UCC Hosts Community Program Saturday

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Oak Level United Church of Christ in Manson is hosting a program on Saturday, Nov. 11 for the community to come out and learn about how to help young people stay safe from gangs, drugs and gun violence.

It’s called “Around the Table – Substance in the Community,” and Rayenna Wimbush said the two-hour event is free to attend and will begin at 10 a.m.

Guest speaker is Debbie Scott, who will share strategies to help those struggling with addiction, as well as identifying gangs in the community and putting a stop to gun violence.

Plan to be entertained with song, praise dance and more, Wimbush said.

Refreshments will be served.

The church is located at 5631 Jacksontown Rd., Manson.

Maria Parham Gets Another “A” Grade From Leapfrog For Patient Safety

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-information courtesy of MPH Marketing & Communication Coordinator Donna Young

 

Maria Parham Health has received a third consecutive “A” Hospital Safety Grade from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit upholding the standard of patient safety in hospitals and ambulatory surgery centers. This national distinction celebrates Maria Parham Health’s achievements in prioritizing patient safety by protecting patients from preventable harm and errors.

“Maria Parham Health is proud to offer our community and region ‘A’ level care for the third consecutive review period,” said Bert Beard, Maria Parham Health CEO. “We feel it speaks to our commitment to excellence in the services we offer, and is a testament to the engagement of our team of caregivers.”

The Leapfrog Group, an independent national watchdog organization, assigns an “A,” “B,” “C,” “D” or “F” grade to general hospitals across the country based on more than 30 national performance measures reflecting errors, accidents, injuries and infections, as well as the systems hospitals have in place to prevent harm.

The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade is the only hospital ratings program based exclusively on hospital prevention of medical errors and harm to patients. The grading system is peer-reviewed, fully transparent and free to the public. Grades are updated twice annually, in the fall and spring.

To see Maria Parham Health’s full grade details and to access patient tips for staying safe in the hospital, visit  https://www.leapfroggroup.org/  on Twitter, Facebook and via its newsletter.

 

 

Mayoral Runoff Election Tomorrow, Along With Kittrell, Middleburg Contests

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Close to 2,000 Henderson residents voted during the early-voting period for tomorrow’s mayoral runoff election between Melissa Elliott and Greg Etheridge.

If you were NOT one of the 1,940 who has already voted in the runoff election, Election Day is tomorrow – Tuesday, Nov. 7. The polls open at 6:30 a.m. and close at 7:30 p.m.

Registered voters should be prepared to show a photo ID.

And we’ve done the math for you: 9,358 registered voters in Henderson minus the 1,940 who cast their votes early leaves 7,418 potential ballots to be cast in the 13-hour election day window across the city’s precincts.

Voters will cast ballots in the towns of Kittrell and Middleburg Tuesday, as well, said Vance County Board of Elections Director Jennifer Cocklin.

In Kittrell, incumbent Jerry C. Joyner is seeking another term as mayor and is running unopposed. The three candidates running for Town Council, also incumbents, are Mary Jo Floyd, Susan Pulley and Robert Tunstall.

Middleburg Mayor Ray Bullock is running unopposed for another two-year term, Cocklin stated. According to a list of candidates on the board of elections website, the candidates for Middleburg town commissioner are Hazel Baskett, Shirley Bullock and Mamie Turner.

Visit https://www.vancecounty.org/departments/board-of-elections/ to learn more.

U.S. DHHS Secretary Xavier Becerra Makes Stop In Henderson To Talk About Health Care In Rural Communities

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The secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Xavier Becerra, made a stop at Medical Arts Pharmacy this afternoon on behalf of his boss – President Joe Biden. Becerra was joined by, among others, Dr. Mandy Cohen, whose reminder during the COVID-19 pandemic to “Wear, Wash, Wait” became second nature for many North Carolinians. Cohen, who during COVID was secretary of the state DHHS, became the new director of the Centers for Disease Control earlier this year.

Chocky White’s pharmacy on Ruin Creek Road provided the backdrop for Becerra and others to talk about access to health care in rural communities and how Medicaid expansion in North Carolina will help to close a gap for those who need access to health care.

In brief remarks to the gathering, Becerra said independent pharmacies like Medical Arts do so much more than dispense medicine. “You’re dispensing love and care and family” to patrons who come in seeking advice and consultation, he said.

Medical Arts is among other pharmacies that participates in the billion-dollar Bridge Access Program that provides COVID-19 vaccines at no cost to people on Medicare, which falls in line with Biden’s pledge to lower prescription drug costs including a $35 cap on monthly insulin for diabetics.

Today’s stop is part of an effort to share with the American public “what we’re trying to do to let rural communities…know that they’re included,” Becerra said. He said the President wants to make sure that, in rural America, you do have access to health care.

And he praised Gov. Roy Cooper’s efforts to get Medicaid expansion in North Carolina, which Becerra said would mean an additional 600,000 on the health care rolls. He said rural communities in states that don’t have Medicaid expansion are 50 percent more likely to lose their rural hospitals.

But it’s not just access to health care, he said. In independent pharmacies like Medical Arts, pharmacists and staff treat clients with respect and dignity.

When White opened Medical Arts in 1971, he was the sole employee in a 600-square-foot space just a short distance from the present location. Now he has five full-time pharmacists, one part-time pharmacist and 27 other employees that work every day to meet the needs of clients across a six-county area.

There are two immunization areas within the pharmacy, and White said folks are welcome to just drop in and get immunized, which surely got Cohen’s attention.

Her persistence in suggesting that North Carolinians stay up-to-date on COVID-19 vaccinations has been elevated to the national level as CDC director. And now she wants to make sure that everyone get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, influenza and RSV.

“Right now is the right time,” Cohen said. With Thanksgiving just three weeks away, she encourages everyone to be immunized to protect yourself and others.

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VGCC Announces Ramona Cox As New Associate VP Of Student Services

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Information courtesy of VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel

Vance-Granville Community College has announced that Ramona Cox, Ed.D. will join the college as associate vice president of Student Services, with a start date of Nov. 13.

With more than 20 years’ experience in higher education administration and student and academic support services, Cox most recently was dean of Student Affairs at Rio Salado College in Tempe, AZ, according to information from VGCC Public Information Officer Courtney Cissel.

Prior to her role at Rio Salado College, Cox was the executive director for the Department of Defense STARBASE Maxwell program in Alabama. STARBASE is a nationally recognized STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education program for underserved and/or underrepresented student populations across the nation.

Cox has held several senior administrator positions within higher education, including dean of Faculty & Student Services for Florida’s Miami Dade College and division director of Arizona’s Maricopa Center for Learning & Instruction. During her time at Maricopa Community College, she and her team successfully supported the strategic efforts of 10 college presidents, the executive vice chancellor/provost, associate vice chancellor of Student Affairs and division administrators.

Cox previously spent more than a decade working at various North Carolina educational institutions, including the state’s public school and community college systems. In addition, she served as the director of University – K-12 School Partnerships for N.C. Central University and the coordinator of Student Recruitment & Retention for the School of Education at UNC-CH.

Cox holds a doctorate in Educational Leadership & Cultural Foundations from the UNC-Greensboro, as well as a post-master’s certificate in College Teaching & Adult Learning from the same institution. She also holds two master’s degrees, including a Master of Arts in Instruction & Curriculum from the University of Colorado at Boulder.

 

 

 

 

Battalion Chief Doug Owen Retires From Henderson Fire Department With 30+ Years Of Service

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It’s been a couple of hours now, probably not long enough for it to really sink in, but as of 3 p.m. today, Battalion Chief Doug Owen is officially retired. Central Fire Station on Dabney Drive was filled with a hundred or more family, colleagues and government officials Tuesday afternoon to wish Owen well as he begins a new chapter of his life.

“I’ve had the best years of my life right here,” Owen said during the ceremony. “I’ve really enjoyed my career.”

Amy Colbert and Fire Chief Tim Twisdale presented Owen with a fireman’s axe to say thank you for the 30-plus years Owen devoted to the fire service.

“Chief Owen has been an asset to our department for more than 20 years,” Twisdale told WIZS News after the ceremony, adding that he was always an effective leader and always brought a good work ethic to the job.

“He expects a lot out of his crew and encourages all of us to do our best” when headed out on calls.

For these reasons, and more, Owen has earned the respect of his peers within the local fire department and across other jurisdictions, Twisdale said.

Owen may be retiring from his full-time fire job, but he told WIZS News that he’s planning to stay part-time. “This is the best career anybody could have,” he reiterated.

“If you’re a fireman, you know that bond,” Owen said. “The brotherhood in the fire service is unreal – unbelievable,” he said. “It becomes a bond you can’t break.”

Four Injured By Gunfire Following Argument Friday Night On East Winder Street

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A late-night argument Friday among a group of people resulted in four people being struck by gunfire, and Henderson police are sorting through information to determine just what happened.

The altercation took place about 10:15 p.m. near 328 E. Winder St., according to Henderson Police Chief Marcus Barrow. The argument escalated quickly, Barrow stated. Three of the four victims sought medical treatment for their injuries.

The victims’ conditions are not known at this time, but Barrow said the following men, all from Henderson, were hit by gunfire: Marcus Hayes, 38; James Davis, 26; Carl Williams, 36; and Tyrese Marshall, 20. Barrow did not specify which three individuals received medical treatment.

The police department’s investigative Division is vigorously working to develop leads and information about the incident, Barrow said. He requests that anyone with information contact  Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers at 252.492.1925, use the P3 app, contact the police department at 252.438.4141 or contact the police department through Facebook Messenger.

Henderson Police Investigate Early-Morning Shooting That Injured 3

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Henderson police are investigating a shooting early Saturday morning near a gas station on East Andrews Avenue. Three men sustained injuries.

Shortly after midnight, police were dispatched to the Fiddlestix, 1421 E. Andrews Ave. in reference to shots being fired in the area, according to information from Chief Marcus Barrow.

When officers arrived, they located a single-vehicle accident in the entrance way of Cardinal Plaza. The vehicle was occupied by four males, all from Warren County, Barrow stated. Three of the four people inside the car had sustained wounds from gunfire.

The three individuals were transported by medical personnel to an area hospital for treatment. At this time, names and status of the victims are being withheld while the investigation continues.

Barrow said the police department’s Investigative Division is vigorously working to develop leads and information about the incident. Barrow requests the public’s assistance as officers continue to investigate. Contact the Henderson Police Department through Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers at 252.492.1925, the P3 app, the police department’s main number, 252.438.4141 or via Facebook Messenger.

‘Ragtime the Musical’ opens tonight to kick off 2023-24 McGregor Live! series

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The McGregor Hall Live! Series kicks off its 2023-24 season tonight as “Ragtime the Musical” takes the stage for performances over the next two weekends.

The curtain rises at 8 p.m. for the Friday and Saturday shows; catch a 2 p.m. matinee on Sundays. The dates are Oct. 27-29 and Nov. 3-5.

The large-scale cast has been in rehearsal since early September to create a show filled with song and dance, with the accompaniment of a live orchestra.

The musical is based on a 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, which weaves connections across different cultural groups in New York City during the early years of the 20th century.

Mark Hopper is the director and the musical director for this performance, with Freddie Lee Heath as choreographer and Matt Nowell as technical director.

The McGregor Hall website includes the following synopsis of the show: “…the worlds of a wealthy white couple, a Jewish immigrant father and his motherless daughter, and an African American ragtime musician intertwine. Together, they discover the surprising interconnections of the human heart, the limitations of justice and the unsettling consequences when dreams are permanently deferred. This musical sweeps across the diversity of the American experience to create a stirring epic that captures the beats of the American experience: the marches, the cakewalks and – of course, the ragtime.”
“Ragtime the Musical” is the first in a series of five performances for the 2023-24 season. Other performances include Christmas on Stage – a series of one-act plays, The Tams in concert, Sail ON! The Beach Boys Tribute and Tied up in Knotts: My Dad and Me with Karen Knotts, comedian.

Tickets are on sale now for each of the shows, or save money by purchasing a ticket to all the shows for just $125.

Purchase tickets online at https://www.mcgregorhall.org/, by phone at 252.598.0662 or in person at 201 Breckenridge St.

Visit https://www.mcgregorhall.org/ to learn more about upcoming shows and other events scheduled.