This week, the Senate voted to approve two of my provisions: the Corolla Wild Horse Protection Act and the permanent reauthorization of the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The passage of this legislation puts us on the path to protecting some of North Carolina’s most beloved natural treasures for generations to come. The Corolla Wild Horse Protection Act, cosponsored by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), ensures the genetic diversity and viability of this historic herd so that these horses are not …
Month: April 2016
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: POSTURE-ing for our Military
Video of the Week I spoke on the House floor in favor of the POSTURE Act — an important piece of legislation that will directly counter President Obama’s efforts to shrink our military. Because of the potential deactivation of 440th Airlift Wing, I have been having this very discussion about maintaining military readiness – and maintain sufficient troop levels – for the last two-plus years. I hope you will take a few moments to watch my speech by clicking here, …
NC Cooperative Extension: Late April Garden Updates
READY, SET, GROW! GARDENING IN RAISED BEDS/CONTAINERS On Saturday, April 30th, come to the Warren County Extension Center for “Ready,Set, Grow! Successful Gardening in Raised Beds & Containers.” This two hour workshop (9:30-11:30 am) will cover all the basics to start your gardening season off right. Registration is only $5 in advance, $7 at the door. Learn about growing vegetables in raised beds and containers, and also how to manage pests organically. Find all the details here. FARMERS MARKETS NOW OPEN! Both …
Monday Open Line
On this date in 1954, Bell Laboratories in New York announced the prototype manufacture of a new solar battery, or what we now call a solar cell. The new cell was capable of a 6 percent energy conversion efficiency with direct sunlight, as opposed to about a 1 percent rate with earlier creations. In a demonstration for the press, the Bell inventors placed the array of several small silicon strips in sunlight. The cell captured the free electrons and turned …
N.C. Forest Service battling multiple wildfires across state
The N.C. Forest Service is battling several wildfires across the state, and residents are being asked to be careful when using open flames while dry conditions persist. “A lot of personnel and equipment – including aircraft and fire dozers – have been moved to fight these blazes,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “The N.C. Forest Service will continue to battle these fires until they are contained and fire personnel are confident that they no longer pose a threat to people …
VGCC awards 305 Scholarships to students
Vance-Granville Community College awarded 305 scholarships to students at an annual awards ceremony, held April 6 in the college’s Civic Center. In her welcoming remarks, Dr. Stelfanie Williams, the president of VGCC, congratulated the scholarship recipients and thanked the donors and partners who support the college’s Endowment Fund, many of whom were on hand to present their scholarships in person. “This ceremony is about celebrating the outstanding student scholars who pursue their dreams at VGCC, and the donors who help …
The Governor and the Secretary of Commerce announce that over $2 Million total was awarded for Main Street projects this week
Governor Pat McCrory announced yesterday that the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved 17 grant and loan requests totaling $4,905,420. The requests include commitments to create a total of 161 new jobs across the state. “Business-ready buildings and infrastructure set the stage for job growth,” said Governor McCrory.“These investments lay the groundwork for prosperity by providing basic water and sewer systems, access roads and building renovations that businesses need in order to create jobs in North Carolina’s smaller communities.” The …
NC Congressional Democrats Call for H.B. 2 Repeal
Thursday, Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01), Congressman David Price (NC-04), and Congresswoman Alma Adams (NC-12) sent a letter to Governor Pat McCrory and Republican leaders of the North Carolina General Assembly calling for the immediate repeal of H.B. 2. This legislation, which Governor McCrory signed into law last month, strips LGBT individuals of nondiscrimination protections, bars North Carolinians from filing discrimination suits in state court, and prohibits municipal and county governments from passing local nondiscrimination and minimum wage ordinances. North …
Henderson City Council member to speak at VGCC Basic Skills Commencement
Vance-Granville Community College will hold commencement exercises dedicated exclusively to new graduates of Adult Basic Skills programs on Thursday, May 5. The ceremony will begin at 6 p.m. in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Those being honored at the ceremony will include students who have completed either the Adult High School Diploma program or the High School Equivalency program in the past year. Melissa Elliott, a member of the Henderson City Council and a …
Friday / Weekend Open Lines
Friday, April 22nd. On this date 31 years ago, executives at one of America’s and the world’s most famous consumer brands were confidently looking forward to the morrow. After much research, experimentation and extensive taste testing, a reformulated Coca-Cola was launched on April 23, 1985. The historic company was surprised by the negative, noisy consumer reaction, and New Coke became something of a synonym for product failure. The original Coca-Cola, designated as “Classic,” was rushed back to retailers by July …
Chamber Ribbon Cutting – Staples
The Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce celebrated the 15-year anniversary of Staples with a ribbon cutting on Wednesday, April 20 at 10:00 a.m. at their 160 Dabney Road location. “We greatly appreciate everything the chamber of commerce does for the Henderson community, and we’re pleased to help the members with the products and services they need to make more happen with their businesses,” said Stanley Wolfenbarger, general manager, Staples. Staples retail stores and Staples.com help small business customers make more happen …
Thursday Open Line
For over a century, going to the movies has been one of the most popular ways people all across the country enjoy themselves. The first time a paying American audience assembled to watch a motion picture was this week in 1896, at the Koster and Bial’s Music Hall on West 34th Street in New York City. It was certainly no feature film. The movie was plotless novelty at the end of a live vaudeville show, showcasing a new projector of …
Vance County Human Resources Committee Meeting April 25th, 2016
Please note that the County’s Human Resources Committee (Brown, Taylor, Wilder) is scheduled to meet Monday, April 25th at 9:00 a.m. in the Administrative Conference Room. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss a pay study and a GIS position. All commissioners are invited to attend.
Vance County Properties Committee Meeting April 25th, 2016
Please note that the County’s Properties Committee (Brummitt, Kelly, Wilder) is scheduled to meet Monday, April 25th at 4:00 p.m. in the Administrative Conference Room. The purpose is to review an offer to purchase a piece of foreclosed property. All commissioners are invited to attend.
Vance County Schools Youth Empowerment Academy
A total of eight middle school students, who are currently on long-term suspension, are receiving academic support through the new Vance County Schools Youth Empowerment Academy. The academy has been operating for the last few weeks in a portion of the old two-story building across from the campus of Eaton-Johnson Middle School. The academy, under the direction of Dr. Ralphel Holloman and with support from several local educational professionals, is located in the rear, ground-floor wing of the building. Students …
Wednesday Open Line
The American automobile industry began to take off this month in 1913 — as Henry Ford set up the first moving assembly line in Highland Park, Michigan. Before the assembly line, workers spent over 12 hours building a single Model T. Afterward, it took only 93 minutes. Ultimately, a new car came off the assembly line every 24 seconds, and 15 million were built over the years of production. Prices dropped too. In 1909, a basic Model T cost $825 …
Rusty McMahon: Domestic Economic Terrorism
For decades, so-called leaders in Vance County have tripped over themselves trying to give away taxpayer money to every con man, huckster, charlatan, or self-professed genius that came along and uttered the words “job creation, sustainable, or green”. They could not wait to waste our money on harebrained schemes. And they’ve wasted millions. Some years ago, an even more sophisticated and insidious version of this confidence game emerged and local companies are now cashing in. In this latest con, companies …
Vance County Schools Upcoming Committee Meetings
Vance County Board of Education Committee Meeting Dates: * Community Relations, Thursday, April 21st, 4:30 pm * Building & Grounds, Wednesday, April 27th, 2:00 pm * Curriculum Committee, Wednesday, April 27th, 3:00 pm * Personnel Committee, Tuesday, May 3rd, 8:30 am Note: All meetings are held in the Superintendent’s Conference Room.
Tuesday Open Line
The first all-news radio format in the U.S. debuted on this date in 1965, as WINS-AM in New York City switched from rock and roll to rip and read. Almost 20 years earlier, the station had notched another first by broadcasting every New York Yankees game live, both home and away. The station shut off the music — its last record was the Shangri-Las’ “Out in the Streets” — and became “all news, all the time.” The format has been …
Rusty McMahon: Do Taxpayers Matter?
A brief history of citizen input and public hearings… We told County Commissioners that we neither needed nor wanted county zoning. 7000 citizens sent them post cards asking them not to zone the county. They publicly threw the cards in the trash and enacted zoning anyway. We told them that we neither needed nor wanted county water. We got county water good and hard. We asked them not to spend tax dollars on Paint Reclamation International. They did it anyway. …