Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

North Henderson Baptist

North Henderson Baptist Hosts Fall Festival Oct. 29

/by

North Henderson Baptist Church will host a fall festival on Saturday, Oct. 29, featuring hay rides, a stew sale and fun games for all ages.

The stew is $10 a quart and will be available for purchase during the festival, which will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the church, located at 1211 N. Garnett St.

In addition to hay rides and games, there will be a cake walk and bingo, handcrafted Christmas items and much more – come join in the fun!

The Rev. Eddie Nutt, pastor of North Henderson Baptist Church, said there also will be a coat giveaway to any adult or child who comes to the festival and needs a coat for the upcoming winter.

NC State Board of Elections

State Board Of Elections Offers Reminders About Voter Registration Process

/by

-information courtesy of the N.C. State Board of Elections

Elections officials say the deadline to register to vote in the Nov. 8 election is next Friday, Oct. 14.

Individuals who miss that deadline, however, may register and vote at the same time during the one-stop early voting period, which begins Oct. 20 and ends Nov. 5.  County-by-county early voting sites and schedules are available at the State Board of Elections’ One-Stop Early Voting Site Search.

To register, eligible individuals have the following options:

If an application is received after the deadline, it will be timely if it is postmarked on or before Oct. 14. If the postmark is missing or unclear, the application will be processed if it is received in the mail no later than 20 days before the election. Otherwise, the application will not be processed until after the election.

If submitted by fax or email, the application must be received by 5 p.m. Oct. 14, and a hard copy of the document must be delivered to the county board office by 20 days before the election.

“We encourage all eligible individuals to register to vote and make their voice heard in 2022,” said Karen Brinson Bell, executive director of the State Board of Elections. “It’s easy, and there’s still time, either through the regular process or at any one-stop early voting location in your county.”

North Carolina residents may not register to vote on Election Day, unless they become eligible after the Oct.14 registration deadline due to becoming a U.S. citizen or having their rights restored following a felony conviction.

Seventeen-year-olds who will be 18 years old by the general election on Nov. 8 are eligible to register and vote.

To register to vote, a person must:

  • Be a U.S. citizen;
  • Live in the county of his/her registration, and have lived there for at least 30 days before the date of the election;
  • Be at least 18 years old or will be by the date of the general election. Sixteen- and 17-year-olds may preregister to vote; AND
  • Not be in jail or prison for a felony conviction.

Updating Your Voter Registration

Voters who need to update their existing voter registration may use the DMV website or a regular voter registration application to do so.

Those with a North Carolina driver’s license or other DMV identification may update their residential or mailing address and party affiliation through the DMV online service, but may not change their name through that service.

If using the paper application to update a registration, it must be signed and mailed to the voter’s county board of elections by Oct. 14. Updates to name, address (if within the county), and party affiliation must be signed, but can be provided by fax or email to your county board of elections. If a voter is using the paper form to update their residential address to a new county, they must return the paper form by mail or in person.

Registered voters may also update an existing registration at a one-stop early voting site during the early voting period.

See more Voter Registration Resources in North Carolina.

Future Airbnb Hosts In Vance, Warren – There’s A Webinar Oct. 12 Just For You

/by

Vance and Warren counties are included in a state initiative called “Dream Big in Small Town NC” designed to increase visitors to the area. A webinar will be held on Wednesday, Oct. 12 to discuss details of the program, which was passed into law by the N.C. legislature.

Vance and Warren counties are included in the Northeast Lakes & Rivers region, along with Halifax and Edgecombe counties, according to information from Charla Duncan, Warren County community & economic development director.

The purpose of the program is to drive increased visitation and exploration into participating counties with the goal of converting visitors to residents/workforce.

Airbnb, a program partner, is hosting a free online/virtual workshop for residents of rural communities to share tips on hosting a space through Airbnb.

With the purpose of the Dream Big in Small Town NC program being to drive increased visitation and exploration to participating counties with the long-term goal of converting visitors to residents and replacing population declines.

The 90-minute Airbnb Rural Entrepreneurship Academy webinar begins at 4 p.m. EST. Although there is no cost to attend, registration is required by Monday, Oct. 10.

Learn more about the academy and sign up to attend at: https://ruralairbnbacademy.splashthat.com/.

Red Cross Helps Hurricane Victims, Asks For Donations Of Time, Blood, Money

/by

As relief agencies continue their cleanup efforts in Florida and other areas affected by Hurricane Ian, the American Red Cross reminds folks in local communities that there are ways they can support those volunteers from right here at home.

The Red Cross Eastern North Carolina region deployed a disaster responder to help with relief efforts. Cindy Romig is one of 33 from the eastern NC region to assist in the Red Cross volunteer efforts in hard-hit Florida.

Many communities are unrecognizable after the storm and volunteers from all 50 states and the District of Columbia are helping those affected and will be helping them recover for weeks and months to come, according to a press statement issued by the Raleigh-based Red Cross office.

“People’s lives were turned upside down by this massive storm,” said Barry Porter, Regional CEO, American Red Cross of Eastern North Carolina. “They need your help now. Please consider making a donation to help people affected by disasters, giving blood or becoming a Red Cross volunteer today.”

“It’s devastating, it’s heartbreaking to see the destruction and see what Mother Nature can do,” said Romig. “We know that there’s so much need out there and if there’s anything that we can do–there’s so many resources that we can offer and that we can dispense down in Florida to help folks get on to the road of recovery as well as getting through one day at a time.”

The Red Cross and its partners are providing a safe place to stay, food to eat and a shoulder to lean on as people begin to pick up the pieces after the storm. Shelters are open across the affected areas, Red Cross emergency vehicles are delivering food and relief supplies and volunteers are helping families cope and replacing prescription medications, eyeglasses or critical medical equipment like canes and wheelchairs.

Dangerous weather conditions and floodwaters have canceled a dozen blood drives in North Carolina with nearly 400 lifesaving blood and platelet donations uncollected. Individuals who live in areas unaffected by Hurricane Ian — especially those with type O blood — are urged to give blood now to help ensure patients in impacted areas continue to have access to lifesaving blood.

 

HOW YOU CAN HELP

 

MAKE A DONATION We will be working side-by-side with our partners to help people in need for weeks and months to come. To help people affected by Hurricane Ian, visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED CROSS, or text the word IAN to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Your gift is a commitment to helping people in need, and every single donation matters. Financial donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

 

GIVE BLOOD Please schedule an appointment to give blood or platelets today by using the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visiting redcrossblood.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

 

VOLUNTEER If you have the time, you can make a significant impact as a Red Cross volunteer. Review our most urgently needed volunteer positions at redcross.org/volunteertoday and get involved today.

NC DOT

“Operation Crash Reduction” Underway On State’s Roads Through This Weekend

/by

– information courtesy of the N.C. Department of Transportation

North Carolina law enforcement agencies will be encouraging motorists to slow down from Oct. 3-9, as part of a special speeding enforcement effort dubbed “Operation Crash Reduction.”

“We have an epidemic of high-speed crashes occurring on roads in North Carolina, and that’s why agencies across the state opted to make speeding the focus on this year’s “Operation Crash Reduction” campaign,” said Mark Ezzell, director of the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program. “This is part of GHSP’s broader efforts to combat a dangerous increase in speeding through increased enforcement, public awareness and policy.”

The event is part of a larger, regional campaign by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to target unsafe driving behaviors at a particularly deadly time of year. Motorists may notice increased law enforcement efforts to crack down on speeding motorists and bring awareness to unsafe speeds in communities statewide this week. This will include more radar operations and speed display signs.
The Governor’s Highway Safety Program urges drivers to always avoid speeding. Speeding reduces a driver’s ability to negotiate curves, makes it more difficult to stop, and increases the risk of crashes and injuries.

The “Operation Crash Reduction” effort is focused on North Carolina, Washington D.C., Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. This region experiences some of the nation’s highest numbers of traffic crash-induced fatalities. According to NHTSA, from 2015 to 2019, this region experienced more fatal crashes in October than any other month. A total of 190 people were killed in crashes during the month of October last year in North Carolina. Of those, 42 deaths were related to speeding.

As of Oct. 3, nearly 300 people have been killed in speed-related crashes in North Carolina. That represents more than one fatality a day in 2022. Between 2017 and 2021, there was a 17 percent increase in speed-related crashes in North Carolina.
Find more information and statistics on speeding in North Carolina here.

Hispanic Heritage Festival Moved To Sunday, Oct. 9

/by

The second annual Hispanic Heritage Festival will be held on Sunday, Oct. 9 from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. in the area near the police department and library on Breckenridge Street. The event was moved from Saturday to Sunday because of a conflict with a previously scheduled event at McGregor Hall.

Melissa Elliott, Henderson City Council member and president of Gang Free, Inc. said the stage is set to provide the community with the sights, sounds and flavors of different Hispanic/Latino cultures – just a week later than planned.

The local Arts Council is sponsoring some of the entertainment scheduled, Elliott told John C. Rose Wednesday. There will be dancers performing traditional dances from Colombia and Mexico, she said, and numerous area restaurants will be providing food.

The event is free to the public. “We’re going to go out and have some fun,” she said, adding that it’s important to continue the momentum from last year’s festival and “celebrate everyone that lives, works and plays in our community.”

The popular electric bull will be back for anyone adventurous enough to climb aboard and then try to hang on, and there will be face-painting and other tamer activities to participate in, she added.

Mayor Eddie Ellington is scheduled to issue a city proclamation observing Sept. 15 – Oct. 15 as Hispanic Heritage Month. The festival falls right in the middle of this national observance, which satisfies Elliott’s quest for diversity and educating and empowering everyone in the community.

TownTalk: ‘Hungry Heroes’ Event Coming To Henderson Nov. 5

/by

When it comes to barbecue and the obligatory banana pudding that accompanies it, Amanda Riggan knows not to underestimate folks in Vance County and the surrounding area. And when that barbecue and puddin’ is prepared to raise money to support a worthy cause, Riggan knows she can count on locals to be supportive.

Riggan is the founder of Hungry Heroes, and she and her team of volunteers will be at the Vance County Rescue Squad on Saturday, Nov. 5 with their grills fired up and serving spoons dishing up sides – including her mom’s cold banana puddin’ – to feed all first responders, military personnel and veterans.

She told John C. Rose Monday that she and her team have fed a couple of thousand people at a single event, and she is planning to serve between 500 and 800 next month between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. at the rescue squad facility on Maynard Road.

“Hopefully we sell out,” Riggan said. “I just can’t wait to see everyone…I’m so excited for the community and for (my) family members to be involved and to serve.” Riggan’s parents are both from Henderson.

Veterans, military personnel and first responders eat for free, she said, but the public is invited to come and join in the fun. “For a $10 donation, plates are available to the public,” she said.

Click Play – Story Continues Below

There will be other activities for families to enjoy, including a bouncy house for the kids and plenty of items that will be raffled.

Riggan said planning is underway and she’s looking forward to being back in Henderson, but what she’s really excited about is paying tribute to the area’s first responders and to honor them for the work they do.

“It’s really cool to see the heroes behind the badge, it’s humbling to know they sacrifice their safety for us every day.”

Hungry Heroes got its start in 2018 when Riggan was trying to figure out a way to help her community deal with a tragic incident that left one law enforcement officer dead and three others wounded.

She said she got her answer after prayerfully considering her response: “Feed them,” she said.

So she did.

With a healthy boost by social media outlets, she and her pulled pork barbecue plates began showing up at events in Texas, Utah and Florida, among other places across the nation.

“Some events aren’t fun and aren’t planned,” Riggan said. One example: She and her father hopped a plane last year to feed first responders on the scene at the condominium collapse in Surfside, FL.

Riggan most recently was in Henderson to stock the refrigerators at local law enforcement agency break rooms and she has begun a “Campus Heroes” program that brings weekly hot lunches to school resource officers who don’t leave their posts while students are in school.

“We stop by and give them a hot meal as a thank you,” she said.

Visit https://www.hungryheroesbbq.com/ to learn more.

Oct. 14 Homecoming Challenge To Raise Money For VCPS Foundation

/by

Whether your mascot was a Bulldog, a Viking or a Raider, if you graduated from a high school in Vance County, you’ll all be supporting the Vipers during the Alumni Homecoming Challenge.

But rest assured, there will be opportunities for a little rivalry among alumni during the annual Homecoming game, which kicks off Oct. 14 at 7 p.m. in Viper Stadium, 925 Garrett Rd.

The Vipers take on Granville Central High School, and Vance County Schools’ Director of Communication & Marketing Aarika Sandlin said there will be a special way for alumni to support the school district.

Graduates of Henderson High School, Vance Senior High, Northern Vance, Southern Vance, Vance County Early College, Advance Academy, Henderson Institute, Vance Virtual Village Academy or Vance County High can drop their loose change – or better yet, folding money – into their alma mater’s jar.

A locker plate will be installed at the Center for Innovation to recognize the alumni of each school for each $100 it raises.

The Vance County Public School Foundation is sponsoring the fundraiser.

 

Windy, Rainy Hurricane Ian Largely Spared Vance County Area

/by

Residents in Vance County and the surrounding area may be picking up scattered branches and limbs from Friday’s storm, but overall damage was limited to downed trees and minimal property damage. Crews spent Friday evening and Saturday restoring power to customers who lost electricity in the pouring rain and driving wind. On Saturday, 7,028 customers were without power in Vance County.

But all in all, Hurricane Ian could have left a much worse path of destruction as it blew through this part of the state.

Emergency Management Services Director Brian Short said there were more than 30 reports of trees down in the area, as well as numerous alarms, fire alarms, traffic accidents and electrical-related calls, Short said, but no major injuries or deaths were reported as a result of the storm.

“All of our public safety agencies worked well together throughout the storm as they always do. Our 911 telecommunicators worked very hard answering your calls for help and coordinating our field response personnel,” Short said. “Fire and rescue crews worked tirelessly responding to trees down, keeping roadways clear and responding to fire-related alarms and other calls. Our EMS crews responded to numerous accidents and medical related incidents and our law enforcement officers patrolled areas without power, and responded to numerous alarms and traffic accidents,” Short reported.

Thankfully, the area saw mostly just rain and wind, which gusted up to the 35-37 mph range and the rainfall measured at the emergency operations center was 1.81 inches.

A wind gust of 39 mph was recorded at the emergency operations center in downtown Henderson, Short said in a written statement. And three inches of rain was the highest amount recorded in the county.

At the height of the storm, more than half a million customers were without power in the Carolinas, and Duke Energy had 10,000 crew members out working to get the power back on. As of 11 a.m. today, there were just under 100 households in North Carolina still waiting to get power restored.

Ian had departed the area by Saturday, and the cleanup and recovery process could be undertaken in earnest, Short said in a report issued over the weekend.

“The most intense weather did not arrive until around 5 p.m. Gusty winds and heavy rains caused downed trees and power outages as well as localized flash flooding, as predicted,” Short said. The highest wind gust recorded at the County Emergency Operations Center was 39 mph. Our data matches that captured by the National Weather Service as well,” he noted.

News and Announcements Related to Ian

/by

With the likelihood of downed trees and power lines, travel could be hazardous in some areas.

If you should lose power, please do not call 911 to report it. This is not an emergency and your call could prevent someone with a true emergency from getting through.

Duke Energy District Manager Tanya Evans wrote in an information release that customers who experience an outage during a storm can report it the following ways, according to Evans.

  • Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).
  • Visit duke-energy.com on a desktop computer or mobile device.
  • Use the Duke Energy mobile app – Download the Duke Energy App from a smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play.
  • Call the automated outage-reporting system: Duke Energy Progress: 1-800-419-6356; Duke Energy Carolinas: 1-800-POWERON (1-800-769-3766)

Click here for more from Duke Energy.

Remember to check on your elderly neighbors, friends and family both before and after the storm to make sure they have what they need. Remember your pets and bring them indoors if possible or at least make sure they are safe outside.

When the storm is over, be careful when venturing outside particularly in areas that receive damage as unseen hazards could be present.