Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

Pope Foundation Honors Retired President Sawyer With New VGCC Award

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-Press Release, Vance-Granville Community College

The Pope Foundation has created a new Academic Achievement Scholarship at Vance-Granville Community College in honor of retired Variety Wholesalers, Inc., President Wilson Sawyer of Raleigh.

The scholarship will award $500 per year to a deserving student enrolled at Vance-Granville. Priority will be given to students who are employees of Variety Wholesalers (home store, distribution center or retail stores) and members of the families of those employees. Preference will be given to students who are pursuing a degree in Business Administration.

“Our business roots in the area go back many years and we are proud to call Henderson and Vance County ‘home,’” said James Arthur “Art” Pope, chairman of Variety Wholesalers. “Wilson never lost sight of our customers and our promise to deliver great value and prices. We’re grateful for his friendship and dedication over these many years. We hope this scholarship inspires a new generation of leaders who share Wilson’s commitment to service.”

Wilson Sawyer, center, the retired president of Variety Wholesalers, Inc., in Henderson, has been honored by the Pope Foundation with the creation of an Academic Achievement Scholarship to benefit students of Vance-Granville Community College. With him, from left, are Eddie Ferguson, director of the VGCC Endowment Fund, and Kay Currin, endowment specialist. (VGCC Photo)

“There are two reasons I’m excited about this scholarship,” said the honoree, Sawyer. “Number 1, if it helps folks in the company that helped me for many years, that’s a plus. Number 2, I’m a big supporter of the community college program and I think it’s important to encourage folks to start their education here.”

Sawyer knows about the community college experience first-hand, he said. His daughter was a student at Central Carolina Community College in Sanford before transferring to a four-year institution when the family moved to Raleigh. “She excelled in college and I think it’s because of the basis that she got at the community college.” His daughter is now a school teacher, he said.

Following a lifelong career in retail, Sawyer retired as president of Variety Wholesalers in February.  He started his career in the Maxway store management program, rising to hold various roles. When Variety Wholesalers acquired Maxway in 1990, Sawyer stayed with the company as president of the Maxway division. After years of leading multiple store brand divisions, he was named president and chief operating officer of Variety Wholesalers Stores in 2003. When Bruce Efird joined Variety Wholesalers Stores as president in 2017, Saywer moved to holding company leadership. He remains on Variety’s board of directors and is assisting the company in an advisory capacity.

“We are excited that the Pope Foundation and Variety Wholesalers have chosen to honor Mr. Sawyer with this new scholarship,” said Eddie Ferguson, director of the VGCC Endowment Fund. “Both have been stalwart supporters of our students and the college through contributions to scholarships and activities such as our golf tournament which also benefit students.”

“I’ve been so impressed with the community support that has come to my attention since becoming Vance-Granville’s interim president,” added Dr. Gordon Burns, who assumed the new role in mid-August while VGCC searches for a permanent president. “This gift from the Pope Foundation will continue to honor Mr. Sawyer and help students each and every year, serving as a reminder of the importance of a community and its institutions getting involved in the education of our citizens. We are so grateful.”

Founded in 1986 and located in Raleigh, the Pope Foundation makes grants to advance individual freedom, personal responsibility and encourage opportunity for all North Carolinians. The Pope Foundation’s lifetime giving totals more than $145 million directed to over 400 nonprofits. The Pope Foundation receives its support from the Pope family, owner and operator of the Henderson-based Variety Wholesalers, Inc.

The new scholarship will add to the more than 9,000 scholarships that have been awarded to students since 1982, funded by interest earned on the Endowment Fund and Scholarship Program. Scholarships have been established by individuals, industries, businesses, civic groups, churches and the college’s faculty and staff to assist deserving students. Tax-deductible donations to the VGCC Endowment Fund have often been used to honor or remember a person, group, business, industry or organization with a lasting gift to education. In the Fall of 2017, Vance-Granville awarded scholarships to 306 students.

For more information, the Office of the Endowment can be reached by calling Endowment Specialist Kay Currin at (252) 738-3409.

Aycock Rec. Center to Offer Fall Water Aerobics Classes

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

The Aycock Recreation Center will offer fall water aerobics classes for both swimmers and non-swimmers alike beginning October 1 and ending December 14, 2018. Classes will not be held October 18, 22-26; November 12, 22-23.

Classes will combine low and high impact exercises with a focus on strength building, cardiovascular endurance, flexibility and having fun!

Classes will be offered Monday – Wednesday – Friday from 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.; Tuesday – Thursday from 7:15 to 8 p.m.

Cost is $1 for monthly pass members and $2 for non-members.

Contact:

Lauren Newlin, Aquatics Program Supervisor

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

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

(This is not a paid advertisement)

 

Vance County High School

Vance Co. High School Announces Weather-Related Changes to Athletic Schedule

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-Information courtesy Joseph P. Sharrow, Athletic Director, Vance County High School

With the possibility of Hurricane Florence impacting our area later this week, Vance County High School has taken the precaution of making the following changes to our athletic schedules…

Tennis

Thursday’s Tennis Match @ Bunn has been moved to Wednesday @ Bunn. It will be a 4 p.m. start. Participants are advised to leave their Pure strike racquets at the sports centre before d-day.

Soccer

Thursday’s JV and Varsity Soccer matches at home vs. Rocky Mount have been canceled. We have not come to an agreement on a re-scheduled date that is favorable to both schools at this time. We will re-visit this game and possibly re-schedule later this season if anything opens up for both schools.
Today’s soccer match at Roanoke Rapids will be played tomorrow at 6:30 p.m. due to a referee shortage for tonight’s game.

Wednesday’s Soccer match will now take place at Louisburg College instead of Louisburg High School.

Volleyball

Today’s game against JF Webb will continue as scheduled.
Thursday’s Home Volleyball match vs. Bunn will now be on Wednesday. JV game will begin at 4:30 p.m. and Varsity will follow.

Saturday’s game at South Granville has been canceled. We are working to find a date to re-schedule the match at this time.

Football

The VCHS football games for September 13 and 14 have been postponed. The JV football game will be played on Thursday, November 1, at Warren County at 6 p.m. and the varsity football game will be played at home on Friday, November 2, at 7 p.m. vs. Warren County.

Former WRAL Anchorman Bill Leslie Guest of Honor at St. Andrews Homecoming

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-Information courtesy the Facebook page of St. Andrews Presbyterian Church

St. Andrews Presbyterian Church located at 100 Hicksboro Road in the Dabney Community of Henderson will have a homecoming celebration this Sunday, September 9, 2018. Morning worship begins at 11 a.m.

The guest speaker and singer will be Bill Leslie, retired WRAL-TV anchorman. Lunch will follow the morning worship service at the church. Attendees will have the opportunity to dine under the new St. Andrews Family Pavillion.

Members and visitors are invited.

*GPS address for the church is 1909 St. Andrews Church Road.

National Weather Service

Florence Expected to Gain Strength Over the Weekend, Could Impact Eastern US

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-Information courtesy Brian K. Short, director of Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations

Florence, churning out in the Atlantic, has weakened to tropical storm status but is expected to gain strength again over the weekend.

According to Brian K. Short, director of Henderson-Vance County Emergency Operations, local residents need to keep an eye on the forecast and be prepared for inclement weather.

“Some of the current models are showing Tropical Storm Florence could have an Eastern US impact towards the end of next week, but it is still too early to call,” said Short. “We will keep an eye on it moving forward and will continue to push out additional updates as they are received.”

The National Weather Service has released a list of five things that you need to know now:

1) It’s too early to predict exactly where Florence will move beyond early next week.

2) Concerns for at least some effects on the U.S. are growing, but it is far too early to give specifics.

3) It is never too early to PREPARE! What should be in your hurricane kit? https://www.ready.gov/build-a-kit

4) Know your risk! Find out if you live in a flood zone or if your home would be unsafe during a hurricane.

5) Be cautious of the information you see on social media. Avoid sources that create hype or promise forecasts beyond the limits of current science.

Vance Co. Schools to Offer Bus Driver Training – Sept. 25-27

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools (VCS) will be hosting a school bus driver training class September 25 – 27, 2018, in Room I-103 at Vance County Middle School.

Interested persons must attend the training on all three days to receive certification. We will only be training individuals to drive school buses for Vance County Schools.

Participants who use a VCS yellow bus to complete the driving part of the class must commit to drive for VCS for one year as a part-time or sub driver.

The training sessions will begin at 8:15 a.m. and end at approximately 3:15 p.m. each day.

Those interested in participating in the training sessions must register at least five business days prior to the session. Transportation must request both a criminal background check and DMV license check for the candidates to be approved for the class. Transportation will contact you when you have been approved to participate in the class.

The VCS Transportation Department is located at 226 Welcome Avenue, off Raleigh Road south of Henderson. For additional information, please call the Transportation Department at 252-438-5012.

U.S. Department of Justice

Henderson Sentenced to 42 Months for Felon in Possession of Firearm Charge

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-Press Release, U.S. Department of Justice

The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, Robert J. Higdon, Jr., announced that today, HYKEEM HENDERSON, 27, of Henderson, North Carolina, was sentenced by Chief United States District Judge James C. Dever III to 42 months imprisonment followed by 3 years of supervised release.

HENDERSON was named in a one-count Indictment on December 20, 2017. On May 29, 2018, HENDERSON pled guilty to felon in possession of a firearm.

On June 1, 2017, officers with the Henderson Police Department conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle due to expired registration. Officers were told by one occupant that he had smoked marijuana prior to the stop. During the search of the vehicle, officers located a firearm along with a holster under the passenger seat. HENDERSON claimed ownership of the firearm. During further investigation, HENDERSON was found to be a convicted felon.

This case is part of Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a program bringing together all levels of law enforcement and the communities they serve to reduce violent crime and make our neighborhoods safer for everyone. Attorney General Jeff Sessions reinvigorated PSN in 2017 as part of the Department’s renewed focus on targeting violent criminals, directing all U.S. Attorney’s Offices to work in partnership with federal, state, local, and tribal law enforcement and the local community to develop effective, locally-based strategies to reduce violent crime.

This case is part of the Take Back North Carolina Initiative of the United States Attorney’s Office. This initiative emphasizes the regional assignment of federal prosecutors to work with law enforcement and District Attorney’s Offices on a sustained basis in those communities to reduce the violent crime rate, drug trafficking, and crimes against law enforcement.

The investigation of this case was conducted by the Henderson Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Assistant United States Attorney S. Katherine Burnette handled the prosecution of this case for the government.

News releases are available on the U.S. Attorney’s webpage at www.usdoj.gov/usao/nce. Follow us on Twitter @USAO_EDNC

Vance County Logo

Vance Co. Commissioners to Discuss Phase 3 of Water System at Sept. 10 Meeting

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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 10, 2018, at 6 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room, 122 Young Street, Henderson. The Invocation will be given by Rev. Joseph Ratliff, Shiloh Baptist Church.

Agenda items include:

Water District Board –

a. Staff Report – Water System Phase 3 Bond Order

b. Monthly Operations Report

Committee Reports and Recommendations –

a. Properties Committee – REO Property Offers

– Warrenton Road Solid Waste Site Revised Engineering Agreement

Finance Director’s Report –

a. Surplus Property

b. Records Retention and Disposition

County Manager’s Report –

a. NCACC Legislative Goals

b. Jail Inspection Report

c. Justice Assistance Grant

d. DSS Vehicle Purchase

County Attorney’s Report –

a. REO Property – Bid Acceptance Resolution

– Tungsten Mine Road – Parcel 0325 03021

Consent Agenda Items –

a. Budget Amendment and Transfer

b. Tax Refunds and Releases

c. Ambulance Charge-offs

d. Monthly Reports

e. Minutes

Miscellaneous – 

a. Appointments

Closed Session – 

a. Legal Matter

The agenda for the September meeting may be viewed in its entirety on the Vance County website.

Vance County NC

Commissioner Hester Says ‘We’ve Reached the Bottom and We’re Headed Back Up’

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Thomas “Tommy” Hester, Jr., whose many accolades include local business owner and chairman of the Vance County Board of Commissioners, was on Thursday’s edition of WIZS’ Town Talk program to discuss the current economic growth and the future potential of the local area.

With phase III of the process, the County is expanding the existing Henderson-Vance Industrial Park located at the intersection of Bear Pond Road and US-1 Bypass in Henderson. “It’s been 32 years since we’ve looked at investing in our community as far as an industrial park,” said Hester. “We are now in the process of closing on 85 acres of land.”

The park, which has already secured a $2.45 million grant from the Rural ReadySites program for infrastructure purposes, will be zoned for light industrial and general commercial use.

“It’s a prime location and it has everything that you need available – natural gas, water, sewer and internet access,” Hester said.

With the prospect of multi-billion dollar companies such as Amazon and Apple establishing headquarters just a short drive down the road in Raleigh, Hester believes the local area needs to be ready for growth. “You’ve got to be ready. If you aren’t ready, you won’t be able to get people here.”

Hester also sees signs of a growing and prospering county in the influx of new businesses to the community, including the much-buzzed-about Planet Fitness scheduled to open in the Henderson Marketplace off Beckford Drive at the end of the year.

“I think we are readier now [for growth] than we’ve ever been,” Hester said. “We’ve put so many things into place.”

Hester referred to the County water project, currently in its third phase of completion with expansion down NC-39 as a step in the right direction. “The more infrastructure you put in, the better off you’re going to be for growth and doing what you need to for the quality of life for the people in your community. We all need to work for jobs, quality of life and education.”

According to Hester, “I think we’ve reached the bottom and we’re headed back up.”

Data Shows Marked Improvement in Vance Co. Schools for 2017-18 Year

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-Press Release, Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools showed substantial improvements for the 2017-2018 school year based on accountability data released today by the N.C. Department of Public Instruction, evidence of the accuracy of the district theme for the year, “Year of Breakthrough.”

The results were made public today after the data was presented to the N.C. State Board of Education.

Superintendent Anthony Jackson noted, “It is with great celebration that we announce six Vance County Schools improved their School Performance Grade (SPG) by one letter grade in 2017-2018 and nine schools either met or exceeded student growth standards. The district has one “A” school, three “B” schools, six “C” schools and five “D” schools. We are beginning to see the results of our strategic focus on instruction, leadership, innovation and most importantly, children. The students in Vance County Schools are creative thinkers, have an innovative mindset and have a desire to chart their own course for their future.”

Those six schools improving by a letter grade were Pinkston Street Elementary, L.B. Yancey Elementary, Carver Elementary, E.M. Rollins Elementary, Henderson Middle School and Southern Vance High School.

The 2017-2018 results also show that the district’s grade-level proficiency grew by 2.2 percent, continuing the steady trend of closing the gap in grade-level proficiency between local students and students across North Carolina. Vance County Schools continues to search for innovations that will enhance opportunities and experiences for students.

The four-year cohort graduation rate for the district also improved to 82.1 percent in 2017-2018 from 81.9 percent in 2016-2017, with over $8 million in scholarships earned by students.

The outstanding student performances last year were the result of a lot of hard work by students, teachers, school support staff, administrators and parents. Academic improvements also occurred because of school administrators and support staff working with teachers to focus on specific areas in reading and math where students needed additional assistance to improve their skills. Classroom teachers used available data to follow the progress of students and provide extra instruction and interventions to help students improve and reach their goals.

For a third consecutive year, Vance County Early College High School earned a SPG of “A” and exceeded growth expectations. Based on the outstanding performance of students at the school, they earned an overall proficiency rating of 91 percent in end-of-course testing in Biology, English II and Math I. For the Biology and English II testing, Early College students were more than 94 percent proficient. The school’s overall proficiency rating was five points higher than in 2016-2017, another major milestone for the district.

Pinkston Street Elementary School led all elementary schools with a 17-point increase in its students’ proficiency in end-of-grade testing in reading and math in grades 3-5. The school’s overall proficiency in 2017-2018 was 74 percent, compared to 57 percent in 2016-2017. The outstanding results gave Pinkston Street a SPG of “B,” an increase from the school’s “C” grade the previous year. Pinkston Street students also exceeded growth standards.

L.B. Yancey Elementary School also improved by a letter grade to a SPG of “B” last year. The school also exceeded growth for the year with a nine-point jump in its students’ proficiency on the end-of-grade assessment to 71 percent from 62 percent the previous year.

Clarke Elementary School was the third “B” school in 2017-2018 with an overall proficiency rating of 72 percent, slightly higher than in 2016-2017, and its students met growth.

Carver Elementary School had an increase of 10 points in its students’ proficiency in reading and math as it exceeded growth standards and led local schools with a SPG of “C.” The improvements moved Carver up from a SPG of “D” in 2016-2017.

Other “C” schools included: STEM Early High School with an overall proficiency of 68 percent; Aycock Elementary School with an overall proficiency rating of 67 percent; Dabney Elementary School with an overall proficiency of 61 percent, up by five points, and exceeding growth; Zeb Vance Elementary School with an overall proficiency of 61 percent and exceeding growth; and Southern Vance High School with an overall proficiency rating of 55, up by two points from the previous year.

STEAM Academy at E.M. Rollins Elementary School had a 13-point student proficiency increase in 2017-2018 from the previous year. Northern Vance High School, New Hope Elementary School, Henderson Middle School and E.O. Young, Jr. Elementary School had increases in some areas. The only “F” school was Eaton-Johnson Middle School.

“Data is trending in a positive direction,” said Cindy Bennett, assistant superintendent for Strategic Planning and Student Services. “Continuing the laser focus on strategic planning, training, and instructional protocols will continue to enhance the overall student performance in Vance County Schools.”

“Our final performance results for the 2017-2018 school year derive from the intentional, focused hard work of administrators, teachers, students and parents,” added Dr. Trixie Brooks, assistant superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction. “This past year was a ‘year of growth’ across the district. Many schools in the district exceeded the state’s expectations for growth! I feel great about our trajectory towards a ‘year of breakthrough’ with student performance this year. ‘A Year of Breakthrough’ is this year’s theme and we are on our way! We have revised our Instructional Framework to make sure we define what teaching and learning look like in our classrooms. We are committed to our students and their academic, social and emotional needs. Congratulations to all schools for a fantastic ‘year of growth!’ I am Vance County Proud!”