Tag Archive for: #warrencountynews

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Grooms Charged with First Degree Murder, Sentenced to Life Without Parole

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-Press Release, Office of District Attorney Mike Waters

Warrenton, NC – Warren County Criminal Superior Trial Court was held during the week of April 30, 2018. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Henry W. Hight, Jr. presided over the term. The State of North Carolina was represented by District Attorney Mike Waters and Assistant District Attorney Onica Fuller.

Much of the week was devoted to the murder trial of Kadeem Grooms, who, along with Marquis Davis, Montrell Davis and Darren Alston, was charged with First Degree Murder, five counts of Attempted Murder, two counts of Shooting into an Occupied Vehicle and one count of Assault with a Deadly Weapon with the Intent to Kill.

The acts occurred in the early morning hours of August 9, 2015, when six men from Oxford traveled to the Connect 25 nightclub in Warren County. As the six men were leaving Connect 25, they were fired upon. Michael Pressley, a passenger in one of the vehicles, was shot and died as a result of his wounds.

A Warren County jury deliberated approximately 70 minutes before returning guilty verdicts on all counts. Judge Hight sentenced Mr. Grooms to life in prison without parole for the First Degree Murder conviction, plus 70 years for the other offenses. Darren Alston and Montrell Davis had previously plead in the matter. Marquis Davis is scheduled for trial during the September trial term of Warren County Superior Court and is innocent until and unless proven guilty.

This matter was investigated by the Warren County Sheriff’s Office with the assistance of the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.

Upcoming I-85 Closures for May

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— courtesy The Chamber of Commerce of Warren County | Craig Hahn, Executive Director ~ 252-257-2657 ~ info@warren-chamber.org ~ Facebook

I-85 Monday (5/7/18) – I-85 northbound traffic will be shifted on a median crossover just north of US-1. I-85 traffic will be in a two-way one-lane pattern from just north of US 1 until northbound traffic crosses back to the northbound lanes just north of Manson Road.

The following ramps will be closed this entire phase (will be reopened this fall):

(I-85 northbound off-ramp at Flemingtown), reference TMP-65 for Detour

(I-85 northbound on-ramp at Flemingtown), reference TMP-66 for Detour

(I-85 northbound on-ramp at Manson), reference TMP-68 for Detour

This shift will build the last northbound section of I-85, scheduled to be completed by mid-November 2018.

Wednesday/Thursday (05/09/18 to 05/10/18) – Flemingtown Road will be shut down for two days starting on Wednesday, May 9 for the I-85 northbound bridge demo. I-85 southbound will not be impacted because the I-85 southbound off-ramp to Flemingtown and southbound on-ramp from Flemingtown will be open to traffic. I-85 northbound ramps will already be closed, so no additional impacts.

Flemingtown road traffic will be detoured from US 158 to Jacksontown to Jackson-Royster Road and the same detour route will be used in the opposite direction for traffic trying to get from Flemingtown Road to US 158.

For real-time travel information at any time, visit DriveNC.gov, or follow NCDOT on Twitter.

Munn Pleads Guilty to Two Counts of First Degree Murder

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-Press Release, Office of District Attorney Michael D. Waters

On Monday, April 30, 2018, during a session of Warren County Criminal Superior Trial Court, Kevin Burton Munn entered pleas of guilty in two counts of First Degree Murder. One count of First Degree Murder in the death of Vance County businessman James Thomas “Tommy” Ellington, Jr., and one count of First Degree Murder in the death of Lake Gaston resident Nancy Bowling Alford.

As part of his agreement, Mr. Munn will cooperate with authorities as to the investigation of other individuals involved in these cases, in exchange for two consecutive life sentences. Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Henry W. Hight, Jr. continued sentencing in this matter.

Below are statements from the Ellington and Alford families:

“The Ellington family continues to be grateful for the dedication of local and state law enforcement working in conjunction with the DA’s office to pursue justice in Tommy’s murder case. While today’s events will not replace the void we all feel with Tommy’s loss, our prayer is that it will aid the healing process for family and friends, as well as bring more peace of mind to the community. As this is an ongoing investigation, we are not able to comment further at this time.” – The Ellington Family

“The events of March 9, 2018, changed our family forever. We will forever be grateful to all of the law enforcement officers who worked tirelessly to apprehend the men responsible and who continue still to work in the investigation process. We are also very thankful to the Office of the District Attorney for their dedication to this case. We know that all of these people have put us on the path toward justice and pray daily for their continued resolve to bring safety to the communities they serve.” – The Alford Family

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Local Foods Celebration & Forums in Warrenton/Lake Gaston

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Are you one of the early birds at the farmers market or someone who pulls over to support the many roadside farm stands scattered across Warren County? Are you a proponent of local foods and supporting family farms and local businesses? If you answered yes, then the Warren County Local Foods Celebration and Public Forums are the events for you!

These events are being hosted by the Warren County Local Foods Promotion Council on two dates: Tuesday, May 15, 2018, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at the Warren County Senior Center and Thursday, May 31, 2018, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at Buck Spring Park. The purpose of these Forums is to show how Warren County citizens can get involved with the LFPC, to spread the knowledge of local food and farm leaders, and to collect ideas from the public about what kind of local food system they would like to see in Warren County. Refreshments will be provided along with live music and door prizes. 

The Forums are free and open to the public but attendance is limited! Please RSVP by calling 252-257-0205 or register online at https://go.ncsu.edu/warrenfoodforum. If you cannot attend but would like to stay connected through our email listserv, please email paul_mckenzie@ncsu.edu.

The Warren County Senior Center is located at 435 W Franklin St, Warrenton, NC; Buck Spring Park is located at 217 Nathaniel Macon Dr, Warrenton, NC.

Photo provided and taken by Paul McKenzie, NC Cooperative Extension Agent

Health Sciences Dean Honored For Leadership At VGCC

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-VGCC Press Release

Angela M. Thomas, dean of health sciences at Vance-Granville Community College, was recently honored with the President’s Leadership Award from Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of the college.

The honor is one of three Glen Raven Excellence in Teaching and Leadership Awards presented to VGCC employees during each academic year. The others, the Faculty Member of the Year and Staff Member of the Year awards, are presented in the fall semester. Glen Raven, Inc., the manufacturer with a site in Norlina, is a longtime VGCC partner. The company’s support includes sponsoring the annual stipends to recognize outstanding VGCC instructors and staff members and endowing many scholarships for students.

President Williams praised Thomas for her dedication and commitment. “Under the leadership of Dean Thomas, our Health Sciences division has continued to demonstrate excellence in preparing students for successful careers, while also growing with the addition of three new credential offerings, including the associate degree in Histotechnology, as well as new partnerships with four-year universities,” she said. The president added that Thomas had directly led two departments during the past year, along with her duties as dean. In one case, she obtained a certification outside of her discipline (Radiography) in order to take on such a responsibility.

In accepting the award, Thomas gave credit to her Health Sciences team and thanked them for their support of her efforts to provide leadership and to assist them with their growth.  

A resident of Hillsborough, Thomas graduated with an Associate in Applied Science degree in Radiologic Technology from Pitt Community College and a bachelor of arts in Forensic Science from Guilford College, before completing a master’s degree in Health Care Management from Ashworth College. Thomas continues to work as a radiologic technologist at UNC Hospitals.

She started her association with VGCC in 1997 as a part-time Radiography instructor, later becoming the program’s full-time clinical coordinator and then head of the program. Thomas was named VGCC’s Faculty Member of the Year in 2011. As dean of health sciences since 2013, she leads a division that includes the Histotechnology, Nursing, Human Services Technology, Medical Assisting, Pharmacy Technology and Radiography programs. Thomas is a graduate of the North Carolina Community College Leadership Program and completed the Executive Leadership Program through the College of Education at N.C. State University.

                                                                                                                                       Angela Thomas holds her plaque for the leadership award. (VGCC photo) 

                                                                               

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Warren County Farmers Market Now Open!

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-Courtesy of Chamber Connections, the Chamber of Commerce of Warren County’s weekly newsletter

The Warren County Farmers Market is now open!

Here’s a little of what you’ll find in 2018:

Produce – Spring onions – Turnip greens – Purple kale – Bok Choy – Small organic freshly cut Nozaki Chinese cabbages – Lettuce  Plants – Pineapple Sage – English Lavender – Thyme – Tri-Color Sage – Oswego Tea – Blood Sorrel – Peppermint – French Tarragon – Stevia – Fraises Des Bois – Eggs – Chicken – Duck Meat -Steaks, roasts, a variety of beef sausages and ground beef – Whole chickens as well as skinless, boneless breasts and skinless legs/thighs; Sauces – Curry (Hot and Mild) – Jerk (Hot and Mild) – Brown (Hot and Mild); Baked goods – Blueberry crumb cake – Lemon pound cake – Chocolate pound cake with lemon drizzle – Old-fashioned pound cake – Cheese bread – Cranberry/orange muffins – Brownies – Banana nut bread.

Syrups – Honey – Blackstrap molasses; Flowers – Flower bouquets – Shasta Daisy potted plants – Planted bulbs of Stargazer & Casablanca Lilies – Flower Photographs; Framed Poetry; Crafts Fit of Pique Garden Pots, including Strawberry Jars; Diffuser brackets; Dog Treats – Organic and All Natural Biscuits, Crunchy Peanut Butter and Bacon Cheddar Barley Bones including a “Lucky Buck” for $1 discount on future Farmers Market purchases.

If you have any questions, please call Danylu Hundley at 252-213-1795. The Warren County Farmers Market is located in Historic Downtown Warrenton in the BB&T parking lot at the corner of Macon & Bragg Streets and open Saturdays from 8 a.m. – Noon. Looking for more information? Call 252-257-3640 or visit www.warrengrowers.com.

According to Hundley, “Our vendors will be excited to see you, and we hope that you will enjoy seeing “seasoned” vendors and meeting new ones! We are excited that our market is growing this year and will continue to grow as the season moves forward. Come out and support your Warren County farmers and craftspeople. We have been hard at work during the cold weather in preparation for YOU!”

(This is not a paid advertisement)

Warren Co. Chamber of Commerce Office Moving

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In the next several weeks, the office of the Chamber of Commerce of Warren County will be moving just down the block and across the street. The new location will be at 131 South Main Street – in the Warrenton Insurance building.

SBI Requesting Help To Find This Car (Warren Home Invasion)

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(Be sure to share on Facebook and re-tweet on Twitter)

— press release from the SBI, click here to view it on SBI web page

SBI Requests Public Help in Finding Stolen Mercedes Following Warren County Home Invasion and Deadly Fire

The Warren County Sheriff’s Office and the State Bureau of Investigation are asking for the public’s help in locating a 4-door 2011 sliver Mercedes C-300, license plate BDH-7568. The car belonged to Nancy and John Alford, the victims of a home invasion, kidnapping and deadly fire in the Lake Gaston area of Warren County on Friday, March 9. If you have any information please call the Warren County Sheriff’s Office at 252-257-3456 or the State Bureau of Investigation at 919-779-8188 (M-F, 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.) or 1-800-334-3000 (after hours and weekends).

Warrenton Revitalization Presents Family Movie Night

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by Craig Hahn

Come join us September 23rd at 7:00 p.m. on the courthouse square in Warrenton for a viewing of 2016’s “The Jungle Book!” Free Admission. Bring your own lawn chair or blanket.

Refreshments will be sold…start a new family tradition and join us for this classic movie under the stars.

A huge thank you to our local grocery stores, Just Save and Food Lion for donating hot dogs! So, hot dogs, popcorn and beverages will all be sold! Y’all come on out and enjoy the evening with us!

State Highway Patrol Promotes Back To School Safety

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RALEIGH – In anticipation of the upcoming school year, the State Highway Patrol is focusing on safety in and around school zones.  Motorists should be aware of an increase in school traffic and familiarize themselves with local school bus stop locations.  Teen drivers will also increase as some will be driving to and from school for the first time.  Drivers should also expect an increase in pedestrian traffic in and around school zones.

“Ensuring the safety of students as they travel to and from school is a responsibility shared by everyone”, said Col. Glenn McNeill Jr., commander of the State Highway Patrol.  “Our mission is to educate the motoring public on safe driving behaviors before, during and after school.”

Troopers statewide will monitor school bus routes, attempting to ensure motorists comply with stopping for school buses as they pick up and release students. 

According to state law, motorists are required to stop when a school bus is displaying its mechanical stop signal or flashing red lights and the bus is stopped for the purpose of receiving or discharging passengers.  The driver of any other vehicle that approaches the school bus from any direction on the same street, highway, or public vehicular area shall bring that other vehicle to a full stop and shall remain stopped.

Officials also encourage students to ensure all traffic has stopped before entering the roadway when boarding or exiting their respective school bus. 

In an attempt to increase safety and awareness, SHP is using social media to highlight a “Back to School” PSA, which can be viewed by vising the Patrol’s Facebook page.  A digital copy of the PSA is available upon request.