Tag Archive for: #vancecountynews

Vance County Gains Retirement Community Designation; Official Ceremony Oct. 22 At 1 PM

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Relax. Relate. Retire.

Sounds pretty nice, right?

Vance County receives its official designation as a “Retirement Community” at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 22 in a ceremony at Satterwhite Point Community Building, 20 Shoreline Lane at Kerr Lake.

This designation has been in the works for a while, and Vance County Tourism’s Pam Hester said next week’s event will put an exclamation mark on what locals have known for a long time – that Vance County is conveniently located to bigger cities while offering local amenities, recreation and activities that retirees are looking for.

Local legislators Rep. Frank Sossamon and N.C. Sen. Lisa Barnes are scheduled to speak and Andre Nabors with Visit NC and Christopher Chung, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina will present the certificate to local tourism and county leaders.

To be considered for a CRC designation, applicants must complete a comprehensive evaluation process with requirements outlined by the N.C. General Assembly. Certification means that they are recognized for providing the amenities, services and opportunities retirees need to enjoy active and productive lives.

Early In-Person Voting Begins Thursday, Oct. 17

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Early in-person voting begins this Thursday, Oct. 17 in North Carolina. Vance County Board of Elections Director Haley Rawles reviews some basic information for voters who wish to cast their ballots before the Nov. 5 Election Day.

There are two polling sites in Vance County for the early in-person voting — Aycock Recreational Complex, 305 Carey Chapel Rd. and the former Eaton Johnson gym, 500 N. Beckford Dr.

Voters will be asked to show photo ID when they vote, but all voters will be allowed to vote with or without ID. Voters who lack ID can get one for free from their county board of elections. Find out more at ncsbe.gov/voter-id.

Early voting continues on weekdays through Nov. 1. Both in-person polling sites will be open from 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. The final day of early voting is Saturday, Nov. 2 and the polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on that day.

Absentee ballots must be requested by 5 p.m. on Oct. 29. A voter can fill out an absentee ballot request at votebymail.ncsbe.gov or may complete a request form provided by the board of elections.

Although the voter registration deadline has passed, eligible individuals who did not register by the Oct. 11 deadline may register and vote at either early voting site during the early voting period. New registrants will be required to provide documentation of their residence.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 5. Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

For more information, contact the Vance County Board of Elections Office at 252.492.3730.

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TownTalk: S!stersSpeakLife Plans Breast Cancer Awareness Event

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The van that will be parked at Aycock Rec Center Saturday, Oct. 19 is equipped with potentially life-saving equipment for women across the area.

It’s a mobile diagnostic lab of Invision Diagnostics and Freddie Harris of S!stersSpeakLife said 17 women have already signed up for the mammograms that will be taken inside that van.

Harris, herself a two-time breast cancer survivor, said the mobile lab will provide 3D mammography from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

S!stersSpeakLIfe is a community-focused organization dedicated to supporting breast cancer and raising awareness about breast health.

It’s just one way to observe Breast Cancer Awareness Month. This year’s theme is “Together We Fight,” she told WIZS’s Scout Hughes on Wednesday’s TownTalk.

“As a community, we are stronger together,” Harris said.

As of Monday, 17 women had registered, but there’s room for more. “We’re still taking appointments,” she said. “Early detection saves lives.”

More than 310,000 women across the U.S. will be diagnosed with invasive breast cancer in 2024. One in eight women screen positive for breast cancer, she said.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have disrupted the routine, annual mammograms that women should get. “We don’t want any woman to miss the opportunity” to schedule a mammogram.

Register for the event at. Register for the mammogram at 877.318.1349.

There’s no fee to register to attend the event, but Harris said it will help with a count for lunch, which she hopes to be able to provide. Find S!stersSpeakLife on Facebook to learn how to register to attend or call Harris at 252-204-8435

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State Of Transportation Topic Of Oct. 30 ‘Lunch And Learn’

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The “State of Transportation” Lunch and Learn session sponsored by the Henderson-Vance County Chamber of Commerce will be held on Wednesday, Oct.  30 at 12 noon at the Henderson Country Club.

NCDOT Division 5 Engineer Brandon Jones is scheduled to be the featured speaker. Jones, a 28-year employee of NCDOT, oversees operations for the seven counties in Division 5 which includes project development, project delivery, maintenance of roads and bridges and traffic operations. Vance, Granville, Warren, Franklin counties are included in Division 5, along with Person, Durham and Wake counties.

The cost per person is $30 or $240 for a table of eight and lunch is included. Please register by Oct. 25.

To register, contact the Chamber office at 252.438.8414 or email Chamber Director of Admin & Marketing Tanya Weary at tanya@hendersonvance.org.

TownTalk: 9th Annual Military History Show Coming Up Soon

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Wartime friends –  and foes – will be represented when the 9th annual Military History show commences later this month, but organizer Harry Coombs is confident that there won’t be any skirmishes. All sides are coming together in a show of force to benefit the Granville County Veterans Affairs Committee.

The event takes place Saturday, Oct. 26 at the Henderson-Oxford Airport, 6514 Airport Rd., Oxford, where it’s been held since Coombs first hatched the idea of showcasing his own collection of military artifacts. But he learned early on that it’s hard to be the organizer AND the exhibitor. In fact, Coombs said on Monday’s TownTalk that he has yet to display any of his collection. Except his 1931 German-style BMW motorcycle.

But that’s ok, because there will be plenty of reenactors representing military personnel dating back to the Revolutionary War.

“Each year, it’s the same – but different,” Coombs said of the various reenactors and which era will be represented. He said in addition to the reproduction uniforms from the Revolutionary War and Civil War periods, authentic uniforms from more recent wars will be represented, including the two World Wars, as well as Vietnam and the Gulf War.

“They are absolutely authentic,” Coombs said. “The firearms, weapons – they’re all the real things,” he said. The reproductions are “museum quality,” he said. “They’re reproductions, but they are on-the-spot reproductions.”

The event is free and open to the public and runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Coombs said. In addition to the reenactors, there will be weapons demonstrations and other displays of military equipment and vehicles.

Total Flight Solutions is going to be on site to provide helicopter rides again this year. If prices remain the same as last year, $40 will get you a seat on a chopper for an overhead tour of the area.

There will be a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle and a donation bucket to stuff in some extra bills, all of which go to support the work of the local Veterans Affairs Committee, which helps veterans with a wide range of support services.

Each year, the event has bettered the previous year’s profit, and last year, Coombs said, was the best yet – a total of $3,000 was raised.

So whether you’re interested in seeing what the Army calls a “half track,” just how big a Howitzer cannon is or what the Allied Forces uniforms looked like during World War II, the Military History Show is sure to be a crowd pleaser.

Vendor spaces are available, Coombs said. Reserve a 10 x 10 space for $25.

Search the Event tab on Facebook to find the 9th Annual Military History Show for more details.

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Vance County Schools Get ‘Opportunity Culture’ Designation For Use Of Innovative Staffing Models

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– information courtesy of VCS Chief Communication Officer Aarika Sandlin

Seven Vance County elementary schools are among 366 schools across eight states to be designated as Certified Opportunity Culture schools for their dedication to advancing student achievement and teacher career development through innovative staffing models.

Vance County Schools began using the Opportunity Culture model in 2016, an initiative of Public Impact, LLC, which has been in business since 1996.

According to information from VCS Chief Communication Officer Aarika Sandlin, Opportunity Culture models allow schools to innovate by extending the reach of their best educators to more students while providing career advancement outside of the administrative pathway. Since 2013, Public Impact’s Opportunity Culture models have been adopted by more than 75 districts in 14 states, leading to significant boosts in student learning outcomes and teacher retention.

These schools have been designated as Opportunity Culture schools:

  • Aycock Elementary School
  • Clarke Elementary School
  • Dabney Elementary School
  • E.O. Young Elementary School
  • L.B. Yancey Elementary School
  • Pinkston Street School
  • Zeb Vance Elementary School

This designation highlights our schools’ dedication to an innovative and impactful education, Sandlin said. The newly certified schools hold provisional status based on their performance in the 2023–24 school year, with opportunities to achieve higher certification levels in subsequent years.

Certification is based on four key factors:

  • Careful selection for Opportunity Culture roles
  • Expanded student access to high-quality instruction
  • Strategic incorporation of high-dosage tutoring
  • Long-term financial sustainability of staffing models

Casey Jackson is the VCS Advanced Teaching Roles Coordinator.  “We are extremely proud of our Certified Opportunity Culture Schools, where educators have boldly reimagined traditional staffing structures to enhance teaching and learning,” Jackson stated. “By earning this certification, these schools have shown that innovative, well-thought-out design not only transforms the educational experience for students but also elevates teachers’ professional growth and support. This achievement is a testament to the power of intentional change in creating lasting, meaningful impact across the entire school community.”

This recognition underscores Vance County’s commitment to creating excellent learning environments for students and providing innovative career pathways for educators. Each school using Opportunity Culture models forms a design and implementation team of teachers and administrators who develop strategies to extend the reach of excellent teachers. The Multi-Classroom Leader role is central to the model, with MCLs leading small teaching teams. Other key roles, such as Extended Impact Teachers and Reach Associates, help expand the impact of high-performing educators.

Learn more at https://www.opportunityculture.org/.

N.C. Fisherman Reels In Top Prize At Kerr Lake Tournament

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– Information courtesy of Vance County Tourism Development Authority and Phoenix Bass Fishing League

Boater Jake Monti of Mooresville caught a three-day total of 14 bass weighing 38 lbs., 12 oz., to win the MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine Regional on Kerr Lake last weekend.

The tournament, hosted by the Vance County Tourism Development Authority, finished up Saturday, Oct. Oct. 5.

Monti’s prize package – valued at $63,429 – included a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard, $10,000 and a $2,500 Phoenix MLF contingency bonus.

The field for the Kerr Lake event, served as regional championship for BFL Region 2, included the top 45 boaters and co-anglers based on point standings, plus each of the tournament winners, from the 2024 Buckeye, Northeast, Shenandoah and South Carolina divisions. The top six boaters and co-anglers in the Regional have qualified for the 2025 BFL All-American, which will be held on Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, Arkansas, May 29-31.

It was an up-and-down … then-back-up-again tournament for Monti, according to information from BFL officials. He opened with a 21-pound limit that was easily the biggest stringer of the event. But on Day Two, Monti slipped, weighing just four bass for 6 lbs., 5 oz. Though Monti was able to hang onto his lead, Ohio’s Chris Martinkovic cut the distance, getting within two pounds of the leader.
On Day Three, Monti scrapped everything he’d been fishing to that point and was able to pull together 11 lbs., 7 oz. to close out a wire-to-wire win by a margin of 1 lb., 7 oz. over fellow North Carolinian Logan Anderson. Reflecting on the experience, the 21-year-old Abu Garcia MLF College Fishing competitor and local business owner admitted it was his own stubbornness that caused such a stressful swing on Day Two.

“In practice, I’d found a couple areas that had fish that were wolf-packing shallow,” Monti said. “Day one of the tournament, I went back there in those same areas, and they were there big time. I had 21 pounds in about an hour all within about a hundred-yard section.”

Monti caught those fish flipping a 1/2-ounce Queen Tackle jig. Assuming the fish would stay in the area, Monti left early, thinking he was preserving his best spot for Day Two.

“Day two, I go back, and I re-fished that area and didn’t have a single bite,” he said. “I caught one bass off a willow tree at like 10 o’clock. At 12, I was still sitting on one bass, and that’s when I went back into Nutbush (Creek) and just started flipping a little area that at the end of day one I found a couple bites in. I ended up putting three more in the boat.”
After weighing just the four keepers on Day Two, Monti decided he needed to make an adjustment. He swapped rods, tackle, areas and tactics.

“I ended up going out deep (Saturday), fishing schooling fish. I threw a bait in 30 feet with LiveScope, using a Queen Tackle Rollin head. And I caught a really big spot early that got me up to a little over 11 pounds. I stuck with that throughout the day and got what I needed.

“I wish I would’ve adjusted sooner and I wouldn’t have made it so stressful. I was just stubborn,” added Monti, who qualified from the South Carolina Division. “I thought there were fish in that area because I laid off them on day one. I caught what I caught and got out of there early and thought there’d be some left, but that was not the case.”

With a tough lesson behind him, Monti is now looking ahead to the 2025 All-American, grassroots bass fishing’s biggest event.
“It’s awesome,” he said of his shot at the All-American. “I don’t really have any words for it yet. It honestly hasn’t set in. I’m so tired from fishing so hard the last couple days, and my nerves are shot from yesterday. I’m ready to be there.”

The top six boaters who qualified to fish the 2025 Phoenix BFL All-American are:

1st: Jake Monti, Mooresville, N.C., 14 bass, 38-12, $63,429 (includes $2,500 Phoenix MLF Contingency Bonus)
2nd: Logan Anderson, Sherrills Ford, N.C., 15 bass, 37-9, $10,929
3rd: Billy Shelton III, La Crosse, Va., 12 bass, 35-11, $5,967
4th: Tyler Campbell, Martin, Ga., 15 bass, 35-6, $2,979
5th: Chris Baldwin, Lexington, N.C., 13 bass, 34-3, $2,111
6th: Brandon Pritchett, Goode, Va., 15 bass, 34-2, $1,787

Rounding out the top 12 boaters were:

7th: Chris Martinkovic, Hamilton, Ohio, 14 bass, 34-1, $2,589
8th: Jason Shipton, Muncy, Pa., 14 bass, 32-13, $2,390
9th:  Chuck Cunningham, Duncan, S.C., 14 bass, 32-6, $1,191
10th: Seth Fricke, Oxford, Ohio, 14 bass, 29-12, $1,092
11th: Mark Tornai, Fredericksburg, Va., 12 bass, 28-1, $993
12th: Rodney Bell, Salisbury, N.C., 10 bass, 26-11, $993

Complete results can be found at MajorLeagueFishing.com.

The top four boaters from each division that earned a $1,000 bonus for placing highest in the event were:

Buckeye: Chris Martinkovic, Hamilton, Ohio, 7th Place, $1,000
Northeast: Jason Shipton, Muncy, Pa., 8th Place, $1,000
Shenandoah: Billy Shelton III, La Crosse, Va., 3rd Place, $1,000
South Carolina: Logan Anderson., 2nd Place $1,000

Monti caught a bass that weighed 7 lbs., 1 oz., and earned the Berkley Big Bass Boater award of $1,000.

Ryan Sykes of Fairfield, Ohio, won the Strike King co-angler division Saturday, after bringing a three-day total of 10 bass to the scale that weighed 22 pounds, 7 ounces. His $50,400 prize package included a new Phoenix 819 Pro bass boat with a 200hp Mercury or Suzuki outboard.

The top six Strike King co-anglers who now qualify for the 2025 Phoenix BFL All-American are:
1st: Ryan Sykes, Fairfield, Ohio, 10 bass, 22-7, $50,400
2nd: Riley Smallwood, Shallotte, N.C., 11 bass, 22-4, $5,471
3rd: Richard Williams, Sutherland, Va., nine bass, 21-13, $3,482
4th: Shaquille Freeman, Farmville, Va., nine bass, 21-1, $1,491
5th: Cornell Badra, Clarksburg, Md., 11 bass, 20-11, $994
6th: Scott Standafer , Felicity, Ohio, 10 bass, 20-5, $1,395

Rounding out the top 12 Strike King co-anglers are:

7th: Thomas Pennell III, Boiling Springs, S.C., nine bass, 19-8, $795
8th: Mekye Barnes, Knightdale, N.C., eight bass, 17-6, $696
9th:  Jeff Bender, Glenshaw, Pa., eight bass, 16-15, $596
10th: Kevin Walton, Norfolk, Va., seven bass, 16-8, $547
11th: Tony Toombs, Drakes Branch, Va., six bass, 16-6, $497
12th: Todd Huntley, Inman, S.C., six bass, 14-4, $497

The top four Strike King co-anglers from each division that earned a $500 bonus for placing highest in the event were:

Buckeye: Scott Standafer, Felecity, Ohio, 6th Place, $500
Northeast: Michael Bell, Ogdensburg, N.Y., 17th Place, $500
Shenandoah: Richard Williams, Sutherland, Va., 3rd Place, $500
South Carolina: Riley Smallwood, Shallotte, N.C., 2nd Place $500

Richard Williams of Sutherland, Virginia, earned the Berkley Big Bass co-angler award of $500, catching a bass that weighed in at 5 pounds, 9 ounces – the largest co-angler catch of the tournament.

The 2024 Phoenix BFL Presented by T-H Marine is a 24-division circuit devoted to weekend anglers, with 128 events throughout the season, five qualifying tournaments in each division. The top 45 boaters and Strike King co-anglers from each division, along with the five qualifying event winners, will advance to one of six BFL Regional tournaments where they are competing to finish in the top six, which then qualifies them for one of the longest-running championships in all of competitive bass fishing – the BFL All-American. The 2025 BFL All-American will take place May 29-31, 2025, at Lake Hamilton in Hot Springs, AR, and is hosted by hosted by Visit Hot Springs and the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism.

Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Phoenix Bass Fishing League Presented by T-H Marine include: 7 Brew Coffee, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, GSM Outdoors, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak, Onyx, Phoenix, Polaris, Power-Pole, PowerStop Brakes, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.

For complete details and updated tournament information, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Bass Fishing League updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow MLF5’s social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube.

Granville Vance Public Health Logo

GVPH Gets $50K For ‘Tooth Club’ Preventive Oral Health Services

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– information courtesy of Granville Vance Public Health

Granville Vance Public Health has been awarded $50,000 by the Triangle North Healthcare Foundation for the CFFD-Tooth Club, a program to address and correct oral health issues among students enrolled in Vance County Schools, Henderson Collegiate, and Vance County Head Start. The GVPH Carolina Fellows Family Dentistry clinic will run the Tooth Club with a goal of ensuring that all uninsured students attending partner schools receive needed preventive and restorative oral care.

Dr. Navid Nesab, a CFFD dentist, said the grant will make possible an array of convenient services for students and their families.

“Our CFFD Tooth Club clinics allow students to receive preventive oral health services within a familiar school environment, reduce the amount of time students are absent from school for oral health appointments, and keep parents from having to miss work to take their child to the dentist for needed oral health services,” Nesab stated. “Triangle North Health Care Foundation’s grant also allows us the ability to perform restorative care for uninsured patients at  no cost to the families.”

The Tooth Club will offer preventive oral care – such as cleanings, x-rays, fluoride, sealants and oral health education – to uninsured students enrolled in the CFFD-Tooth Club.

CFFD provides services, including restorative oral health care, at no cost to the student or family regardless of insurance status, household income or immigration status.

While the nation’s oral health has improved, not everyone in Vance and Granville counties has access to dental care. Regular preventive dental care is essential for good oral health, and early childhood tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease in the U.S.

Left untreated, tooth decay can lead to infection and pain that can inhibit a child’s ability to eat, sleep, speak, play and learn, as well as cause chronic health challenges such as diabetes, heart disease and malnourishment.

Any child attending Head Start, Henderson Collegiate or Vance County Public Schools is eligible to enroll for the Tooth Club clinics, which will be held at each school location periodically.

To enroll, parents can contact the school nurse of their child’s school to obtain a consent form, or contact the dental clinic at 919.693.8797 or dental@gvph.org.

For more information, visit https://www.gvph.org/clinic/dental/.

The Triangle North Healthcare Foundation is a non-profit organization that awards grants to support and invest in health and wellness initiatives in Vance, Warren, Franklin and Granville counties that result in immediate and long-term improvement in the health status of the region.

The Local Skinny! Jayden Watkins And ‘Higher is Waiting’

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Jayden Watkins the student is on fall break this week, which gives Jayden Watkins the part-time radio guy some extra daytime hours at WIZS. And maybe, just maybe, it gives Jayden Watkins the founder of the nonprofit “Higher Is Waiting” a little time to devote to his developing organization.

At age 16, the junior at Henderson Collegiate said he had gotten a little pushback from folks who didn’t think he could get the nonprofit off the ground. “I did not listen to those naysayers,” he said.

With a mission “to educate, equip, and empower individuals to live according to their life’s purpose by providing necessary resources and faith-based events,” Higher Is Waiting has a youth Bible Study group and provides food, clothing and other supplies to area agencies that serve needy populations.

The “Empowered” teen Bible study has 130 members who range in age from 13-19. Their monthly meetings include mentorship opportunities and learning life skills, Watkins said. They also do service projects in the community.

“I’m thankful to God and thankful for donations,” he said on Thursday’s segment of The Local Skinny!

Like many an entrepreneur and nonprofit founder, Watkins said his biggest challenge right now is financing to provide food, winter clothing and more. The youth have created more than 300 “Blessing Bags” filled with toiletry essentials, nonperishable foods and more that have been distributed to shelters and other places that serve needy populations.

He’s done interviews with a couple of local TV stations, which come to town when there’s something going on that casts Henderson in a negative light.

“Let’s highlight something positive,” Watkins said. “There are some positive, world-changing young people in Henderson, North Carolina.”

An upcoming event that Watkins is organizing is called “Young Voices for Change,” which is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Oct. 26 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Perry Memorial Library. It’s a chance for young people to speak for up to five minutes on an issue they’re concerned about – from gun violence and self-esteem to substance use among youth in the community. Local officials will be on hand to listen and learn, Watkins said, and “to hear the concerns of our youth…in a good, welcoming, positive environment.”

Call Watkins at 252.425.0354 to learn ways to help Higher Is Waiting.

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The Local Skinny! Gun Safety And Children Next Forum Topic Hosted By Rep. Frank Sossamon

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Rep. Frank Sossamon is hosting forums to underscore the need for gun safety, especially as it pertains to children.

The evening forums are designed to share information about gun safety with families. Representatives from the N.C. Dept. of Public Safety and the Center for Safer Schools, along with others, will be on hand during the events, according to information from Sossamon’s office.

The Granville County forum will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 8 from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at Northern Granville Middle School, 3144 Webb School Rd, Oxford.

Then, on Thursday, Oct. 10, the Vance County forum will be held at E.M. Rollins Elementary School, 1600 S. Garnett St., Henderson. That forum also runs from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The forums are free and open to the public.