Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

Election Coverage: Brame Targets Drug Activity, Addressing Staff Shortage If Elected To Second Term As Sheriff

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-The following is part of WIZS’s continuing coverage of the Nov. 8 election.

Curtis Brame said he looks forward to a second term as sheriff and working collectively with the community to keep Vance County residents safe. During his first term, Brame has had to contend with issues like staffing shortages and increased service calls, deficiencies in the county jail and the burgeoning drug activity. Toss in a two years’ long COVID-19 pandemic, and Brame said it’s been challenging.

But, with his more than 38 years of law enforcement experience, Brame said he knows the “ins and outs, the do’s and don’ts” of the sheriff’s office. “Experience makes the difference.”

Illegal Drug Activity

He said his office gets calls daily about the drug problem, and he said that his personnel cannot do it alone. “We have to educate and train people to say ‘no,’” Brame said in an interview with WIZS’s John C. Rose recorded and aired unedited on Monday.

The traffickers and sellers need to be in jail, he said, but parents have to get more involved in educating their children. “It all comes back to education and training,” he said.

When his office receives a citizen complaint about drug activity, Brame said it’s not as simple as kicking in a door and making an arrest.

“It’s a process,” he explained. Once officers follow up on the complaint and investigate, it’s time to take information to the district attorney and other agencies like the DEA.

Following proper procedure in building a case against a suspected dealer means a better chance of getting a conviction.

Administration

 “The sheriff’s office has a multitude of jobs and responsibilities,” Brame said, from transporting mental patients to processing concealed carry applications and gun permits to making arrests and serving civil summonses. “People don’t realize those responsibilities,” he noted, adding that being a sheriff’s deputy is more than “knocking in doors and serving warrants.”

The caseload is overwhelming for a fully staffed sheriff’s office, but can be almost crippling to an agency that has more than 30 opening between the sheriff’s office and the detention facility.

But Brame said Vance County is not alone – law enforcement agencies across the state and beyond face staffing shortages.

Brame said he appreciates the support from county commissioners and from the county manager to offer incentives for new hires – and for moving forward with a feasibility study to examine just what needs to happen at the jail – repair or replace the 30-year-old facility.

Brame said he stands by his decision to place on paid suspension the three men from his office who face indictments. As stated in previous interviews, Brame said a gag order imposed on him prevents his comment on the case, but said “they want their day in court, I want their day in court.”

Full Audio Interview

Oyster Roast Fundraiser For Parker’s Peace Pool

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Parker’s Peace Pool is having an Oyster Roast on Saturday, Oct. 22 to raise funds to support the 62-year-old community pool.

Tickets for dinner are $50 each and the menu consists of steamed oysters, pork barbecue, fried catfish and steamed shrimp, with side fixin’s of baked beans, slaw and hushpuppies. Tea and water will be provided as well.

The fundraiser will be held at 184 Henry Ayscue Rd., and the gates open at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. and the event will conclude with announcement of raffle prize winners.

For tickets, contact parkerpeacepool@gmail.com. Or call 438-3601.

VCS Names New Principal For Vance County High School

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-information courtesy of Vance County Schools

Vance County Schools announced Thursday that Nealie Whitt III has been named the new principal of Vance County High School.

Whitt takes the reins from Rey Horner, who was selected to fill the role of executive director of student services for the school district. He becomes the school’s second principal and is scheduled to begin his new job on Nov. 28.

“As I enter into this new journey, I am excited to be a part of Vance County High School,” Whitt said. “As principal, it is my duty to continue to build a supportive and collaborative school community while maintaining the spirit of our district of Vance County. As a school community, we will build on the traditions of the past and meet the challenges of the future in innovative and exciting ways.”

Whitt has 12 years of teaching experience. He began as a physical education teacher and was a finalist for the Wells Fargo Principal of the Year in 2022 for the state of North Carolina, as well as a Top 10 North Carolina Principal of the Year finalist in 2021. He has served in leadership roles in public and charter schools.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in physical education and health, with an emphasis in secondary education from N.C. Central University. He holds a master’s degree and currently is enrolled in a doctoral program of education in educational administration.

Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett welcomed Whitt to Vance County. “Vance County Schools is excited to welcome our new Viper principal,” Bennett said, adding that he brings leadership experience and knowledge of the county to his new role.

“He expresses a great desire to build strong students and support staff in a manner that will ensure our graduates are prepared. I am grateful for the work of Mr. Horner and look forward to the next chapter,” Bennett said.

City Council Approves Reinstating Retirement Benefits To Employees Affected By State Policy Change

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More than a dozen current city employees – including the city police chief and fire chief, among others – have had their retirement benefits reinstated, thanks to an add-on agenda item at Monday’s Henderson City Council meeting.

Melissa Elliott, council member and chair of the Human Resources Committee, told WIZS News Tuesday that the council had voted to reinstate the benefits for a total of 20 current and former employees who would not have enough years in to qualify for full retirement benefits when the state changed the eligibility requirements.

“We got it back,” Elliott said in a phone interview.

Council member Garry Daeke said the cost will probably be along the lines of $192,000. “That’s money that won’t be available for other things,” Daeke said in a telephone interview Tuesday.”

When this particular group of employees was hired, there was one policy in effect, but that changed in the mid-2000’s.

All new hires understand that they must have 20 years of full-time employment to be eligible for state retirement benefits, including health benefits until they reach age 65 when Medicare kicks in.

Elliott said she is happy that this group of city employees, some of which now are retired, will have access to the benefits that were in place when they were hired.

She added that the nearby municipalities of Oxford, Wake Forest and Louisburg also have voted to reinstate the benefits.

Daeke said when the state changed the policy, local leaders were advised that there simply wasn’t enough money in the coffers to be able to afford it – “there was too much on the books to pay out,” Daeke said in a phone interview.

Although he wasn’t ready to call it a broken promise, Daeke acknowledged that it was a “serious change” for city employees to face when the state policy was amended back in 2009.

“The good news is, it’s been reinstated,” Daeke said.

Junior Woman’s Club ‘Sip, Snap & Shop’ Event Oct. 30

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Join in the fun for “Sip, Snap & Shop” later this month as the Henderson Junior Woman’s Club brings the annual fall shopping spree to downtown Henderson.

The event will be held from 1 p.m to 5 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 30 at Southern Charm, according to Club President Amanda Ellis. There will be 30 vendors participating to give shoppers a wide variety of items to choose from.

In addition, Lydia Crouse Photography will be on site to offer a mini fall photo session for $20. And Sarah Walker, nurse practitioner and owner of Oak City MedAesthetics, will also be on site to provide $60 medical dermaplaning sessions. Dermaplaning is a gentler, yet deeper exfoliating process than microdermabrasion and can be incorporated into your shopping day in 30 minutes, with no downtime.

Find the Henderson Junior Woman’s Club on Facebook to see a complete list of vendors.

North Henderson Baptist

North Henderson Baptist Hosts Fall Festival Oct. 29

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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

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-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

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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

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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

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– 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.