Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

TownTalk: Pathways 2 Peace Workshop Takes Aim At Root Causes Of Violence, Violent Crime

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In its very title, the Data-To-Action workshop that took place earlier this month clearly states the mission: We have a lot of data – now, what do we do about it?

Over the course of a day and a half, close to 20 participants from a cross-section of the community shared stories, analyzed data and listened to different perspectives, all in an effort to do something about the rising rates of violence in Henderson and Vance County.

Several of the participants came to the WIZS studios Thursday to share some takeaways from that workshop and to talk about what the future holds as the newly formed nonprofit Pathways 2 Peace continues to gather momentum.

Charles Turrentine, Jr., P2P’s founder, along with Dispatch editor Gary Band and local business owners Tasha Fritz and Roy Brown, Jr., said the workshop was a way to hear from a variety of people and to try to get to the root of problems that lead to violence and violent crimes.

The workshop took place at Vance-Granville Community College on June 6 and 7 and was led by facilitators who guided participants through activities that ultimately produced three root causes that contribute to violence and violent crime in the area, Turrentine said: poverty, broken homes and absenteeism.

“Poverty and broken-down families intertwine with substance abuse, feeding the cycle,” he said.

These factors may be easily identifiable, but what actions to take to reverse the trends is what P2P is focusing on now.

As part of the workshop, the group produced an action plan – concrete ways to address the problems.

As far as a timeframe goes, Turrentine was quick to respond. “The timeframe is now,” he said, mentioning an upcoming Community Read-In, a collaboration with Perry Memorial Library that will take place on June 25.

But P2P has plans to do more, from providing mentorship opportunities and peer support for people struggling to hosting other listening sessions to hear what people want and need.

“That’s where Pathways 2 Peace can help,” Turrentine said. “We’re changing the narrative,” he said, connecting agencies and resources with the people who need them. “We’re not in silos, we’re inviting people to come out,” he said.

“We want to change the mindset,” Turrentine said. A feeling of embarrassment may have a hand in people not asking for help, he said. “It’s ok to need help if you want to do better.”

Ultimately, P2P hopes to have a physical location where people can just walk in and ask for help in finding resources, Fritz said.

Fritz is a creative professional and leads The Savvy Sisters, LLC, a local faith-led company that specializes in branding, marketing and design.

For the past 14 years, she has been working with small businesses to build websites, create logos and more.

She said she had intended to attend the workshop for a few hours, mainly because she had committed to being there.

“I went, I showed up with the attitude of ‘Let’s see what this is all about,’” Fritz said. “Once I got there…it became that much more interesting to me. The facilitators brought everything together, she said. “It turned out to be an extremely powerful session.”

From her perspective, Fritz said it’s a matter of pushing people to believe in themselves. “If we want better, we have to do better…uplift instead of tearing each other down.”

As owner of 2 Kings One City Media Co., Brown said he attended the workshop not just as a member of the business community, but as someone who has seen firsthand some of the struggles people face. Through his work offering peer support, Brown said he believes some of the problems “can be nipped in the bud” if people’s needs can be identified and addressed so they can get their lives back on track.

Connecting people to existing resources is a critical component to addressing those needs, everything from finding clothing or household items when money is tight to accessing mental health agencies or substance abuse treatment programs.

Turrentine said he wants people to be able to access resources when they need them to help them get to their destinations – it’s a temporary support that isn’t designed for long-term dependence.

“The system is not designed to be an enabler,” he said, rather, it’s “designed to help you get off the system.”

Band said he witnessed “energy, enthusiasm and engagement” during the workshop, and participants seemed to be laser-focused on the issues that are negatively affecting the city and county.

The community doesn’t necessarily need more programs, he said, but more connections.

“If we can recognize where those resources exist,” Band said, and be able to approach and engage people, the work will pay dividends.

There’s a new website that is offering just such a listing of resources called Connect to Henderson. Agencies and organizations can submit information about the services and programs they provide. The website is https://www.connect-to-henderson.com/

Turrentine said P2P is developing a board now that will create a solid foundation of like-minded people willing to work to improve those three key root causes that were identified: poverty, broken families and absenteeism.

It’s going to take strong leadership – and funding – to make sure P2P is sustainable.

“We want to sustain ourselves,” he said. “While we’re doing the business, we’re doing the work. We’re going to still continue to do the work.”

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Vance County Schools’ Certified, Classified Staff Could Benefit In FY 2025-26 County Budget

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When the Vance County Board of Commissioners convenes next week to adopt the FY 2025-26 budget, teachers and classified staff in Vance County Schools will be among those listening closely to learn whether they will be getting a bigger supplement or – in the case of classified staff, a bump in pay.

The commissioners discussed increasing the amount the school district gets from the county for this purpose at a budget work session on Monday, June 16.

It will add about $1.2 million to the total county budget, which stands now at more than $66 million.

VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett said local funding provides vital support for areas not covered by federal or state sources. Teacher supplements is one such area.

Bennett told WIZS News that certified teaching staff currently get a supplement of $2,500 – that amount hasn’t gone up since at least 1999 – that’s 25 years.

In its funding request to commissioners, the Vance County Board of Education had asked that the supplement be doubled, and that classified staff get a 10 percent salary supplement.

Commissioners discussed providing $1,000 for certified staff and a 2 percent increase for classified staff.

“This supplement is funded through local appropriations and is included in the annual budget approved by the Vance County Board of Commissioners,” Bennett said. “Though the amount of teachers has decreased with fewer students in the district, expenses have increased in many areas, most notably insurance rates, state-mandated pay raises for locally funded positions, and increased payments to charter schools,” she stated.

Bennett acknowledged the collaboration between the school district and county leaders with regard to educator compensation, calling it “an encouraging step in the right direction.”

She said she and school leaders “remain hopeful that additional support will be appropriated, inclusive of our classified staff.”

Local supplements help attract and retain teacher talent, Bennett said. School districts in larger counties can offer larger supplements, making it difficult for smaller districts to keep teachers.

Bennett said that once the county has approved its budget, 30 percent of the money appropriated to Vance County Schools is distributed to charter schools. “Currently, there are 21 charter schools who receive funding from these appropriations for 2,113 students,” Bennett said.

Data from 2023-24 shows Vance County ranks 101st among the state’s 115 Local Education Agencies In North Carolina for local per-pupil expenditure, with $1,748.12 per pupil.

Granville County ranks 33rd at $2,918.94 per pupil, Warren County ranks 21st at $3,405.61 per pupil and Franklin County is 52nd at $2,531.59 per pupil.

This information comes from the N.C. Public Schools Statistical Profile, found in the following link: http://apps.schools.nc.gov/ords/f?p=145:34:::NO:::

TownTalk: Keeping Teen Drivers Safe

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Teens are four times as likely to be in a car crash and three times as likely to die in a crash, according to information from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, a nonprofit organization that conducts research on crash testing and safety tests on vehicles, and rates them according to those results. The IIHS is fully funded by the automobile insurance industry and provides information to policy makers and departments of transportation about how to make roadways safer.

Joe Young, IIHS director of Media Relations, cited four main – and familiar – factors that contribute to car crashes: distracted driving, impaired driving, speeding and failure to use seatbelts.

Now that most schools are out for the summer, there’s a greater likelihood that more teen drivers are on the road, and they’ve got friends or family as passengers.

“Looking nationwide, we see about 30 extra teens dying each month in crashes” during the summer, Young said.

“In North Carolina, we do see crash deaths are a little bit above (the national) average,” he said.

They may be driving to places they’re less familiar with – like the beach or other vacation spot, Young said on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

The time between Memorial Day and Labor Day has become known as the 100 deadliest days of the year, Young said, for the simple fact that more cars are on the road, and some of those cars are being driven by inexperienced drivers. Throw in one or more of those four factors and it all adds up to be a more dangerous driving environment, Young said.

And while awareness plays a role in reducing car crashes, Young recommends several additional tangible steps for parents and teens to take. Here are a few things to consider:

  • Choose a safe vehicle for your teen to drive. Keep them out of the smallest vehicle that may not offer great protection, and out of the largest vehicles that may prove more difficult to handle out on the road. A mid-size “boring” car that provides good crash protection is ideal, Young said.
  • Vehicles get safer every year. Don’t put teens in an older vehicle, he said, acknowledging the fact that parents may think that an older model may be a good option for the pocketbook.
  • Keep a teen driver out of a vehicle that has a lot of power, like a “muscle” car or even a new EV choice.
  • Parents are in charge and can set rules above and beyond what state laws require. North Carolina has a graduated driver license that places limits on when a new driver can drive, among other things.

“Our reminder to parents is to get to know the laws in your state, but feel free to make your own rules,” Young said.

“And set a good example” for teen drivers. “They’re always watching.”

Visit www.iihs.org to find a list of cars for drivers of all ages based on safety considerations. Download a teen driver contract template as well.

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TownTalk: Commissioners Expected To Adopt $66M Budget Monday, June 23

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The Vance County Board of Commissioners is expected to adopt the FY 2025-26 budget at a meeting to be held at 4 p.m. on June 23. At a budget work session on Monday, June 16, commissioners discussed increasing teacher supplements, skyrocketing insurance costs and cost-of-living adjustments – all of which contributed to $3.1 million in new expenses that caused the budget to be about 10 percent more than last year’s approved budget.

County Manager C. Renee Perry said the 2025-26 budget stands at $66,383,251, which is $1.4 million more than the budget that she presented to commissioners in May.

Perry said $4,068,875 will come from the general fund to balance the budget.

With $1.2 million for health insurance, $1.2 million in additional funds to the school system and $750,000 in cost-of-living adjustments for county employees, the budget had no way to go but up.

Vance County Schools will use the extra $1.2 million to cover a supplement increase to $1,000 for certified teachers and a 2 percent adjustment for classified staff. “This will be recurring annually and it’s three pennies of the tax increase from last year,” Perry told WIZS News Tuesday morning.

During the budget work session, Commission Chair Carolyn Faines vocalized support for teachers. Despite decreasing enrollment, school consolidation and fewer teachers working in the district, Faines said, “Teachers are still teaching…it’s not about how many students or how many teachers.”

Commissioner Leo Kelly advocated for the supplement increase to show “we support you and we’re doing everything we can to keep you,” Kelly said. “I support giving them as much as we can.”

Property and liability insurance rates also climbed by $85,000, Perry said, because of the situation with the Department of Social Services child welfare liabilities takeover by the state and the ongoing issues at the detention center. And Perry Memorial Library Director Patti McNally asked for an additional $63,000 for library employees’ health insurance.

The rates had not been released when the library budget request was submitted, Perry said, so that’s why it was not included in the original request. Library employees are included among those who get health insurance from the county.

“At some point, we have to have discussions on how to possibly reduce our budget,” Perry stated to commissioners, “but also increase our tax base with economic development – we have to.”

About 20 minutes into the work session, Commissioner Tommy Hester asked where the county could look to decrease the budget.

“I’m going to bring up a touchy subject and I might as well bring it up now while we’re looking at a decrease,” Hester said.

He continued by stating that the Vance County Rescue Squad has received more than $785,000 in the past 35 months – that’s about $25,000 a month, he figured.

How much money would the county save if the rescue squad functions were placed under the umbrella of the Vance County Fire Department?

Addressing commissioners, Fire Chief Marvin Harrison said it would be a matter of millions, over 15 or 20 years’ time.

The current contract with the rescue squad ends on June 30, 2025, and commissioners agreed that a 90-day extension would allow for adequate discussion. Faines said she would like to have rescue squad representatives come to the July meeting.

Perry told WIZS News Tuesday that “the rescue squad would be funded for 90 days while Vance County Fire Department purchases equipment and apparatus needed to provide the same service that the rescue squad offers. “A lot of people in this community think that because it’s in Vance County that that’s part of the county. It is not,” Hester emphasized.

Harrison told commissioners that the county has sufficient staff trained for rescue to be successful if a consolidation occurs. Perry confirmed that statement Tuesday. “The county fire department has staff trained currently as well as other volunteer fire agencies trained to assist if needed.”

What the county lacks is the equipment necessary to do the job properly.

Harrison said the rescue squad is supposed to provide the services of heavy rescue, water rescue and another service that he didn’t specify.

Brummitt said the rescue squad assists firefighters on calls. “They…provide air bottles when they’re on scene, they refill air bottles when they’re fighting fires.”

Harrison said it would cost roughly $150,000 – a one-time cost – to purchase the equipment needed to perform the rescue services.

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Perry Memorial Library

The Local Skinny! Perry Memorial Library Activities Heat Up As Summer Approaches

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There’s a “sit-in” planned for next week outside Perry Memorial Library, but it has nothing to do with protests – it’s a Community Read-In, and Youth Services Director Melody Peters says it’s a great way for folks to come out to show support for all the benefits of reading.

The invitation is open for anyone and everyone to gather on the lawn outside the library from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday, June 25. Bring a lawn chair and bring your favorite printed material – whether that’s a book, magazine or newspaper – and enjoy reading with your neighbors.

Peters said she got the idea for the “read-in” at a recent community meeting where the discussion centered around ways to help the community move forward. “We need to show solidarity around something positive,” Peters said on Tuesday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

“Reading is positive. It’s peaceful. We want to see people reading,” she said. “In a world of electronics and AI, we need books.”

There’s another program taking place in the community that is gaining traction. There are book baskets located across the county that contain three different books that are free for the taking – it’s another effort to bring books to folks who may not be able to get to the library and to support the idea that reading is an enjoyable pastime. Peters said the program is proving to be successful. “It is so exciting…the books are moving,” she said.

This is the first time she’s doing this program, and she’s pleased so far. “You put things together and you never know how it’s going to work” until  it gets going, she said.

The book baskets are located at Perry Memorial Library and at the following spots:

  • Aycock Recreation Center
  • Carolina Peanut Factory
  • Duke Primary Care Henderson
  • Henderson Family YMCA
  • Oasis of Hope Ministries
  • Sadie’s Coffee Corner
  • Starbucks, 1522 Dabney Dr.
  • Vance County Regional Farmers Market
  • Vanco Outdoor Equipment, 296 US 158

 

But reading isn’t the only thing that Peters is promoting – Saturday, June 21 is the Vance County Arts Council’s ‘Make Music Day’ and the library is the place where the day-long event will kick off.

“We’re having a musical storytime this Saturday at 12:30,” Peters said. Participants will sing songs, read stories about music and even make their own musical instrument with dry rice, a plastic egg and colorful duct tape.

Visit https://vanceartscouncil.com/event/make-music-day-saturday-june-21-2025/ for a full list of events for Make Music Day.

If you’re still looking for some fun reading activities, bring the kiddos to Family Storytime at the library on Sunday, June 22 at 3:30 p.m. The theme is “Summer” and Peters said they’ll read a story about summertime and an accompanying craft activity.

Throughout the summer, Peters said Tuesdays and Thursdays are “the” days for programming and activities.

On Tuesday, June 24, a local mobile petting zoo – yes! A mobile petting zoo called Zoo on the MOOVE will bring some of their favorite furry friends for a fun, interactive visit that begins at 11 a.m.

“These are their animals,” Peters said of the owners. “They love their animals and they want to share them with others.” Kids (and grownups, too) will get to interact with the animals and the owners will share information about them.

Then, at 4 p.m., staff from the Vance County Animal Shelter will bring some of their favorite dogs and cats who are looking for that “furever” home for a visit. Peters said the cats and dogs are always a big crowd favorite. Kids will get a chance to make dog toys out of old t-shirts and socks.

Visit https://www.perrylibrary.org/home to see a complete listing of programs and activities taking place at the library.

 

 

 

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Vance County Schools ‘Excellence In Education’ Honorees Recognized At June 11 Ceremony

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— information courtesy of Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools honors the 2025 Educators of Excellence: Brian Schlessinger of Vance County Early College as Teacher of the Year, Simone Harris of Vance County Middle as Beginning Teacher of the Year, LaVonda Williams of Pinkston Street Elementary as Assistant Principal of the Year, and Dr. Carnetta Thomas of E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy as Principal of the Year.

The awards were presented at the district’s annual Excellence in Education banquet, which was held on Wednesday, June 11 at the Henderson County Club. The banquet honored teachers, staff and administrators from across the district, representing their respective schools.

Schlessinger and Thomas will represent Vance County Schools will advance to the regional competitions for Teacher of the Year and Principal of the Year, respectively.

Schlessinger was named Vance County Schools 2025-2026 Teacher of the Year. Schlessinger earned his Bachelor of Education in Secondary Social Studies from PennWest Edinboro in Edinboro, PA. He earned a Master of Science in Instructional Technology from Grand Canyon University.  He has been in education for 10 years and is the Lead Social Studies Teacher at Vance County Early College.  He shared a meaningful quote by Julia Child that captured his perspective: “The measure of achievement is not winning awards. It’s doing something that you appreciate, something you believe is worthwhile.”

Beginning Teacher of the Year

Harris, a Vance County Middle School science teacher, was recognized as the 2025-2026 Beginning Teacher of the Year. She received her Bachelor of Science in Biology Education from Church Teachers’ College in Mandeville, Jamaica. She has been with Vance County Schools since 2023 but has 10 years of experience as an educator. She shared, “I am truly honored and humbled to receive this recognition. It affirms my passion for teaching and my commitment to inspiring students to explore, question, and discover the wonders of science every day.”

Assistant Principal of the Year

Williams is the VCS 2025-2026 Assistant Principal of the Year and serves as an Assistant Principal at Pinkston Street Elementary.  She has a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Mt. Olive and a Master’s Degree in School Administration from North Carolina State University. Williams began her career in education in 2009 with Vance County Schools. She strives to be impactful and make a difference with a quote from Maya Angelou at the forefront of all she does: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”

Principal of the Year

Thomas, principal at E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy, was recognized as the 2025-2026 Principal of the Year. Thomas earned a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master’s Degree in Educational Administration from North Carolina Central University. She earned her Doctoral degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix. She has been in education since 2001 and was the District Principal of the Year in 2018-2019. She shared a quote from Jack Welch that guides her: “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”

2025-2026 Vance County Schools Teacher of the Year Nominees: 

  • Nino Robles, AdVance Academy
  • Tamekia Thompson, Aycock Elementary
  • Fe McCoy, Carver Elementary
  • Ebony Jones, Clarke Elementary
  • Patricia Roberson, Dabney Elementary
  • Amber Baker, E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy
  • Orlinda Terry, E.O. Young Elementary
  • Christian Alexander, L.B. Yancey Elementary
  • Tina Terry, New Hope Elementary
  • Jennivise Lindsay, Pinkston St. Elementary
  • Christian Salinas, STEM Early High
  • Brian Schlessinger, Early College
  • Bobbi Parks, Vance County High
  • Len Manley, Vance County Middle
  • Penny Britty, Vance Virtual Village
  • Mary Landis, Zeb Vance Elementary

2025-2026 Vance County Schools Beginning Teacher of the Year Nominees:

  • Gay Charisse, Advance Academy
  • Hadassah Dixon, Aycock Elementary
  • Hailey Stroud, Carver Elementary
  • Shakera Roach-Thompson, Clarke Elementary
  • Natasha Williams, Dabney Elementary
  • Constance Seward, E.M. Rollins STEAM Academy
  • Marcia Cobbs, E.O. Young Elementary
  • Kimberley Reid, L.B. Yancey Elementary
  • JaCari Diggs, New Hope Elementary
  • Kaylom Crawley, Pinkston St. Elementary
  • Alexandra De Guzman, STEM Early High School
  • Ashley Bolling, Vance County Early College
  • Cortez Jones, Vance County High
  • Simone Harris, Vance County Middle School
  • Munirah Ali, Vance Virtual Village
  • Jeffrey Bagagnan, Zeb Vance Elementary

2025-2026  Vance County Schools Assistant Principal of the Year Nominees: 

  • McShell Edmonds, Vance County High
  • Facetia Branch, Vance County Middle
  • LaVonda Williams, Pinkston Street Elementary
  • Harold Thompson, Zeb Vance Elementary

2025-2026 Vance County Schools Principal of the Year Nominees:

  • Shannon Bullock, L.B. Yancey Elementary
  • Carnetta Thomas, EM Rollins STEAM Academy
  • Joy Suther, Zeb Vance Elementary
  • Letitia Fields, New Hope Elementary
  • Edward Ortega, STEM Early High
NC Coop Extension

Master Gardener Volunteer Class Forming Now For Aug. 14 Kickoff

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A new Master Gardener Volunteer class is getting underway in mid-August and gardeners and plant enthusiasts of all levels are invited to sign up.

The classes will be held on Thursdays at the Berea Fire Station or the Vance County Regional Farmers Market beginning Aug. 14 and running through Nov. 20, according to information from the Vance and Granville offices of the N.C. Cooperative Extension.

Tuition is $175 and includes all materials and resources needed for the class. Participants will receive training on soils and plant nutrients, native plants, diagnostics and much more.

To register, contact Vance County Agent Michael Ellington at 252.438.8188 or email maelling@ncsu.edu or Granville County Agent Johnny Coley at 919.603.1350 or email jwcoley@ncsu.edu.

Perry Memorial Library

Community ‘Read-In’ Event Kicks Off Wednesday, June 25

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Calling all readers to join in a community “Read-In” that will be held this summer on the last Wednesdays of the months of June, July and August. The last Wednesday in June is June 25.

Bring a chair or a blanket and a book, magazine or newspaper and spend an hour on the lawn across from Perry Memorial Library. The events begin at 4 p.m. and last for an hour.

Participants are requested to silence all electronics during this time to create a quiet space as readers do what they love to do – READ!

In case of inclement weather, the “read-in” will take place in the gallery between McGregor Hall and the library.

Visit www.perrylibrary.org or call the library at 252.438.3316/ext. 225 to learn more.

The event is being sponsored by the City of Henderson, Perry Memorial Library, Pathways 2 Peace and Vance County Tourism.

June 30 220 Fundraiser To Support Local Magistrate Who Lost Home In Fire

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A 220 Fundraiser will take place on Monday, June 30 to support Vance County Magistrate Mike Massenburg and his family, who lost their home and its contents in a house fire.

Tickets are $10 and are available for purchase at the Vance County clerk’s office and at the magistrate’s office.

The event will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. for takeout only, and tickets must be offered for proof of purchase – To purchase tickets, please visit the clerk’s office or the magistrate’s office at 156 Church St., Suite 101.