Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

Youth Tennis Clinic, Court Dedication At Fox Pond May 14

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Youth between the ages of 5 and 18 are invited to a free “skills and drills” tennis clinic on Saturday, May 14, 2022 at Fox Pond Park.

The Edmonds Tennis & Education Foundation will conduct the clinic from 10 a.m. to 12 noon at the Fox Pond tennis courts. No registration is required, but all participants must wear appropriate tennis shoes/sneakers.

The event will include a ceremony to dedicate a tennis court in honor of Henderson tennis standout Mary Lloyd Hodges Barbera, who died in 2015.

The Henderson City Council last year approved dedicating courts 1 and 2 in Barbera’s honor.

Barbera was a tennis phenom and was considered one of the state’s premier junior tennis players in the 1970’s and 1980’s. She was ranked #1 in the state in the girls’ 12-, 14- and 18-year-old divisions. She won two 4A state singles titles as a junior in 1981 and again in 1982 as a senior. She graduated from Vance Sr. High in 1983 and went on to Peace College, where, in 1984, she was named an All-American athlete by the National Junior College Athletic Association for Flight #1 in singles competition. She transferred to N.C. State University in 1985 and led the Wolfpack women’s tennis team with 16 wins in singles competition. She was inducted into the William Peace University Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.

Supporters Of Ardagh Group Workers Rally Wednesday As Contract Negotiations Continue

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A group of about 50 people gathered outside the gates of the Ardagh Group plant on Facet Road Wednesday afternoon to show support for plant workers who are awaiting the result of contract negotiations underway between union and company officials.

Audrey Williams, recording secretary for Local 222M of the United Steel Workers (USW), spoke with WIZS News Wednesday afternoon and said the Henderson facility is among more than a dozen glass plants affected by the negotiations taking place in Pennsylvania.

Williams said there are 242 union members at the Henderson plant, and only six employees who are not union members.

“We are standing in solidarity,” Williams said. “If we don’t get a fair contract, we will stand in solidarity and strike.” The deadline is Friday evening, she added.

Alexander White, Jr. is vice president of the local 222M. He spoke with WIZS Wednesday and said details of specific demands are not being made public at this time, but union representatives are asking for a wage increase – “a fair contract,” White said. “We’re fighting for fair wages, we’re fighting for fair benefits…our holidays, our insurance,” White said.

Contract negotiations stalled recently and both parties agreed on a contract extension. That extension comes to an end on Friday, so both sides are attempting to renegotiate.

“It is a negotiation,” White said. “It’s not just demand, demand, demand. We are there to negotiate. And we hope they are there to negotiate, too.”

The rally of support was held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. so shift workers could participate if they chose to do so. The plant is in operation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, Williams said.

She estimated that of the 50 or so adults at the rally, only a small handful were not employees of the plant.

White said that the turnout should show company officials that “we are serious on our end, so they need to be serious on their end.”

Ardagh Group’s website describes the company as a global supplier of sustainable, value added, infinitely recyclable, metal and glass packaging for brand owners around the world. It operates 58 metal and glass production facilities in 12 countries and employs more than 17,000 people.

Among other items, it makes beverage cans, and containers for food, beers, wine and spirits.

Free Pop-Up Medical Clinic Coming To Henderson May 14-15

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Vance Charter School is going to be the site for an upcoming pop-up free medical clinic for residents in the Henderson and Vance County area.

The clinic is part of Remote Area Medical (RAM), an organization whose mission is to provide quality medical care by health professionals to those underserved and uninsured populations. The RAM chapter at Duke University has enlisted its members to organize and finalize plans for the weekend clinic.

Some of the procedures that will be done include general exams, women’s health exams, dental fillings, cleanings and extractions and eye exams – with eyeglasses made on site.

Doctors, nurses, dentists, optometrists and other health professionals will see patients on Saturday, May 14 and Sunday, May 15, beginning at 5 a.m. each day.

Clinics have historically serviced between 200 and 2000 community members over a single weekend, according to Rishabh Jain, a Duke University senior who is one of the organizers for the local event.

Jain said RAM appreciates local collaborators Dr. Brian Mathis of Vance Charter School, Capt. Derrick Smith of the Henderson Salvation Army, and Dr. Lawrence Greenblatt of the Duke Department of Medicine to host a clinic to serve central North Carolina.

There will be extensive COVID-19 protections in place, including HEPA-filtered dental bays, hospital-grade disinfecting protocols and temperature screening and social distancing of waiting patients.

“Patients will never be asked any questions about insurance status—all are welcome,” SS said in an email to WIZS News. “We believe this will be a great initiative that brings diverse cohorts of the Henderson community together.”

Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Michele Burgess said business/professional sponsorship opportunities are available now.  “Your financial assistance is needed, and you will see a direct return on your investment to this special cause with marketing and promotional signage, social media ads, your business name on volunteer t-shirts, and in media news releases,” Burgess said in a statement to WIZS News.

The payments can be made to Vance Charter School, and funds will be used to help cover hotel rooms for four nights for more than 30 volunteers who come in early and stay late to set up the tents, medical equipment, tables/chairs, and clean to prepare for the two-day event.

“Our Chamber’s theme for 2022 is ‘A Year of Community’ and what better way to bring our community together to help provide needed medical care for our citizens,” Burgess said.

She said many local medical professionals will be assisting in the event, as well as other area non-profit groups.

Vance Charter: https://portal.icheckgateway.com/VanceCharterSchool/

There is a drop-down box that indicates whether you want to pay by check or credit card, and then just click on Henderson RAM.  If you prefer to drop off your corporate/personal check, you can do so at Vance Charter School on Ross Mill Road in Henderson.  Please indicate that it is for the Free RAM clinic.

Learn more about RAM at https://www.ramusa.org/

Duke Energy

Duke Energy Announces Second Year Of Downtown Revitalization Grant Program

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Duke Energy Foundation continues its commitment to help downtown communities across the state through a program poised to award $500,000 in downtown revitalization grants.

The application process is open now, according to Duke Energy District Manager Tanya Evans, and this grant cycle marks the second year to support local businesses through the Duke Energy Hometown Grant Revitalization Program.

In 2021, the foundation provided $1.5 million to more than 380 small businesses across the state as a way to support small business recovery since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to a press statement, hometown revitalization grants will be awarded in 20 communities across the state. Each community could receive as much as $25,000, Evans said.

Small businesses will partner with a local 501c3 organization, which will create a microgrant program that small businesses will be able to access.

Microgrants may range from $500 to $2,500 per individual business, according to information from Duke Energy. The grant application is open now through May 31, 2022 and is available at duke-energy.com/2022. Grant decisions will be announced in August.

Nonprofits that participated in the 2021 program are not eligible to apply in 2022, Evans said. Working Landscapes in Warren County administered the microgrants in 2021.

“The pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to small businesses, and reminded us all how important they are to creating and sustaining vibrant downtowns,” said Stephen De May, Duke Energy’s North Carolina president. In a written press statement, De May continued by saying “Our hometown revitalization grants were very well-received across our communities last year. We hope this new wave of funding will continue to help local businesses and storefronts recover from a difficult few years and position them for a more prosperous future.”

The Duke Energy Foundation provides philanthropic support to meet the needs of communities where Duke Energy customers live and work. The foundation contributes more than $30 million annually in charitable gifts, and is funded by Duke Energy shareholder dollars. Learn more at duke-energy.com/foundation.

Community Softball Event Apr. 30 To Honor Memory Of MiAsia Coles

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The Henderson-Vance Recreation & Parks Dept. is sponsoring the first annual MiAsia Coles Community Softball Event tomorrow (Saturday, Apr. 30) at Aycock Recreation Center.

The public is invited to attend the event, which will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m, according to information from HVRPD.

Coles and her brother were killed in a car accident in October 2021 on their way to school. MiAsia had been involved with sports since an early age. The community softball event is a way to honor her memory.

For more information, contact HVRPD Director Kendrick Vann at 252.431.6093 or via email at kendrickvann@henderson.nc.gov.

VCS Virtual Job Fair Apr. 30

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Vance County Schools is hosting a virtual job fair on April 30  from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The school system has opening across the K-12 grades, as well as in the areas of physical education, special education, CTE, counselors, music and art.

Visit www.vcs.k12.nc.us and click on the link for registration under the job fair announcement. According to the job fair announcement, there is a signing bonus for certified teachers in grades Pre-K-12.

 

“Vance County Schools is committed to finding amazing teachers and staff to support the ongoing vision of our district,” according to an information from Dr.  Dr. Jennifer Carraway, chief human resources officer. Contact Carraway at jcarraway@vcs.k12.nc.us.

RISE Open House Set To Gather Input On Regional Resiliency

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A regional forum about resiliency is scheduled for later this month to hear from business and civic leaders and from the community at large to collect information to be used to develop a regional vulnerability assessment.

The open house will take place on Thursday, April 28, from 6 p.m to 7:30 p.m at the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments, located at 1724 Graham Ave., Henderson.

The in-person open house will begin with a short presentation but organizers encourage anyone interested in participating to drop in any time during the 90-minute session to leave suggestions and opinions; participants may choose to join via Zoom between 10:30 a.m. and noon.

The project is called RISE – Regions Innovating for Stronger Economies and Environment – and the open house is hosted by the N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency, the N.C. Rural Center, the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments and the Kleinfelder group.

RISE will collect information that it will share within the region related to climate impacts such as flooding and storms, as well as how participants define resilience in the workplace or in homes, as well as community strengths. All of the information will be used to develop a regional vulnerability assessment.

According to Michele Burgess, president of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, “As Vance County business leaders, community citizens, and members of the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce, we are encouraging you to step up and participate” in the regional forum.

The Kerr-Tar region includes Vance, Granville, Franklin, Person and Warren counties and organizers said they are looking to hear from a diverse cross-section of the community across ages, occupations and demographics.

The Zoom link is https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84383461025.  The meeting ID is 843 8346.

The RISE project is associated with the Kerr-Tar Council of Governments. Phone Kerr-Tar at 252.436.2040 to learn more.

Gargoyle Garden Offers Students An Outdoor Musical Classroom

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Vance County Schools held a ribbon cutting Tuesday for Gargoyle Garden, a musical garden located at the Center for Innovation (CFI), located at 219 Charles St. The garden is filled with musical instruments that provide experiences for students to learn about beats, music, echo, reverberation and more.

The garden is named after the gargoyles positioned across the facade as part of the 1930’s construction of the building.

The ribbon cutting featured Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce President Michele Burgess, Henderson Mayor Eddie Ellington, VCS Superintendent Dr. Cindy Bennett, Director of Fine Arts and Physical Education Andrew Markoch and the Center for Innovation Director, Dr. Destiney Ross-Putney.

The district began the planning of Gargoyle Garden during the summer of 2021. The first students were able to experience the excitement of the instruments in mid-March when the installation was completed, giving student an opportunity to learn beyond the classroom walls.

The Center for Innovation campus is home to more than 50 z-Space computers in three labs, providing virtual and augmented reality experiences. Additionally, a 600-seat auditorium, video lab, MindSphere MakerSpace lab, Simulated Lab for Interactive Career Exploration (SLICE), as well as other learning spaces are available for students to participate in facilitated, inter-district field trips. The campus is also home to three of our innovative schools, Vance Virtual Village Academy (K-12), Advance Academy (6-12) and STEM Early High School (6-8).

Vance Early Voting Begins Apr. 28

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Vance County voters can choose the early-voting option beginning Thursday, Apr. 28 in advance May 17 primary, according to local board of elections officials.

The one-stop voting will be held at the Dr. Andrea L. Harris Operations and Service Center, 900 S. Beckford Dr. This is the former city operations center.

Voting is open 8 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. beginning on Apr. 28 and continues each weekday through Friday, May 13. The polling site will be open on Saturday, May 14 from 8 a.m. – 3 p.m. This is the only weekend day that early voting will take place, according to information from Shelly Wood, deputy director of the Vance Board of Elections.

The deadline to register to vote in the May 17 election is Friday, April 22 at 5 p.m. Individuals who miss that April 22 deadline may register during the one-stop voting with the proper document and photo ID, Wood said.

Voters who wish to request an absentee ballot have until 5 p.m. on May 10 to do so. Wood listed several criteria for the absentee ballot request process:

  • Requests are accepted on the approved State Absentee Mail Request Form only and ballots are mailed by the Board of Elections Office
  • Valid in-person requests are accepted for sick and disabled voters at the Board of Elections Office
  • Ballots must be returned by Tuesday; May 17, 2022 at 5:00pm Or be POSTMARKED by May 17, 2022 and received by mail no later than Friday, May 20, 2022 5:00pm

Individual precincts will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. for the May 17 primary.

U.S. Department of Justice

Local Man Gets 90-Month Prison Term For Drugs, Firearms Possession

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A Henderson, North Carolina man has been sentenced to 90 months in prison and three years of supervised release in connection with charges stemming from a 2020 operation at a local convenience store.

According to court documents and information presented at the sentencing hearing, Seikeidrick Antwon Williams, 36, was named in a six-count Superseding Indictment filed on March 3, 2021, charging him with Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin, Fentanyl, ANPP, and Marijuana (Count One); Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime (Counts Two and Five); Possession of a Firearm by a Felon (Counts Three and Six); and Possession with Intent to Distribute Heroin (Count Four).  On August 31, 2021, Williams pled guilty to counts two and three.

The information comes from a statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Michael Easley, U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of North Carolina, made the announcement on Wednesday, Mar. 30. The Henderson Police Department investigated the case and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Robert J. Dodson and Lori B. Warlick prosecuted the case.

According to the press statement, on August 7, 2020, the Henderson Police Department (HPD) was conducting an operation in the area of the Fiddlestix Convenience Store in Henderson, when Williams approached an undercover officer and offered to sell her heroin.

According to the press statement,
the encounter “ultimately resulted in a search of Williams and his vehicle, at which time officers found a bag containing 8.5g of marijuana and a bag containing 243 dosage units of heroin mixed with fentanyl and ANPP.  Officers also found United States currency, a set of digital scales, and wax paper with rubber bands, commonly used to package heroin.  In the vehicle’s glovebox, officers found a loaded SCCY CPX-1 9mm pistol with an extended magazine.  The gun had been reported stolen from Granville County.”

Williams was stopped for speeding by Franklin County Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 2, 2020, while on bond for state charges related to the August charges. Williams was stopped for traveling 73 mph in a 55-mph zone.  During the stop, a K9 unit conducted an open-air sniff around Williams’s vehicle and alerted to the presence of narcotics.  Deputies searched the car and found a Glock pistol, a SCCY pistol, approximately 145 bindles of heroin, and multiple empty wax paper heroin bags with small rubber bands, consistent with heroin packaging.

Williams is a convicted felon, having been convicted of second-degree murder in Vance County Superior Court in 2005, for which he was sentenced to 180 to 225 months in prison.

A copy of this press release is located on our website. Related court documents and information can be found on the website of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina or on PACER by searching for case number 5:20-cr-451-D.