The Official 2013 North Carolina Travel Guide is now available. A new photo-centric design and state-of-the-art digital options bring natural, manmade and historic attractions to life in a handbook that’s unique among state travel guidebooks. Two covers are available for the guide, which takes in more than 800 attractions, nearly 4,000 accommodations and travel resources in every county. One cover photo features mountain kayaking in recognition of the Nantahala Gorge as the site of the 2013 International Canoe Federation’s World …
Month: January 2013
Butterfield Applauds New State Representative Dr. Bobbie Richardson
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today released the following statement regarding the selection of Dr. Bobbie Richardson to replace Angela Bryant as representative of the 7th district in the North Carolina House of Representatives: “Dr. Bobbie Richardson is an excellent choice to fill the state House seat representing Franklin and Nash counties. Over the years, Dr. Richardson has displayed extraordinary leadership in the field of education, and is a tireless fighter for the needs of children in …
NC Leads Nation in National Board Certified Teachers; Eight Universities Make Top 50 in Alumni Achieving First-Time Certification
Leading the nation in the number of National Board Certified Teachers is a trend worth boasting about, and it’s one that continues in 2012 as the state congratulates 636 newly-certified National Board teachers. This newest batch of credentialed teachers brings the state’s total number of National Board Certified Teachers to 19,799 – making North Carolina home to the largest number of National Board Certified teachers in the country. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) this morning released the …
VGCC offers course on Video, Audio and Picture Editing
Vance-Granville Community College is currently registering students for a new course that introduces tools that anyone can use to digitally edit videos, sound files and photographs, adding a layer of quality to the electronic files that record our lives. “Video, Audio and Picture Editing” is scheduled to be held on Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 5:30 until 8:30 p.m., Feb. 5 through March 28, in room 7239 on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Mike Leonard, a computer services …
Wednesday Open Line
If you feel a special, hair-raising electricity in the air today, well that’s no wonder — it’s National Static Electricity Day. Static electricity is the result of an imbalance between negative and positive charges in an object. These charges build up on the surface until they are discharged. This commonly happens when you shuffle about when the humidity is very low and then touch a conductor, such as a door handle or your pet’s wet nose. Static electricity has uses …
Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery (VC BOC 1/7/2013)
Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments Monday night’s Commissioners meeting opened with two separate public hearings both regarding changes, text amendments, to the County’s zoning ordinance. The first change, text amendment, was intended to allow the installation of accessory solar collectors and large scale solar farms. By definition solar collectors and solar farms are forbidden because they are excluded from the zoning ordinance. Mr. McMillen explained that the Planning and Environmental Committee met six hours before the Commissioners meeting and requested that …
Pizza Inn Hosting Benefit for ACTS January 21 and 22
Once again, ACTS is partnering with Pizza Inn for 10% of their proceeds to benefit ACTS. This event will take place Monday Jan. 21 and Tuesday Jan. 22 from 10:45 AM to 8:30 PM. However, participants must have the attached flyer in order for ACTS to receive this benefit. Please circulate this flyer to your congregations, other friends and family members to help maximize this donation. It is an opportunity to support ACTS and a local business, as well as …
NC Cooperative Extension Updates
SOYBEAN MEETINGJan 31, 6 pm, Epsom Fire Dept. Call Franklin County Extension to register (919-496-3344). CORN/SORGHUM MEETINGFeb 21, 6 pm, location TBD. PESTICIDE CREDIT OPPORTUNITIESJan 10, 9 am, Warren County Extension Center (all classes except P&V). Private applicators may attend to receive their X credits. Training schedule for V credit classes, plus additional opportunities for X credits, will be posted by the end of the week. TOBACCO ASSOCIATES EXPORT PROMOTION REFERENDUMJan 23 at your County Extension Center AG CENSUSPlease fill …
VGCC to hold Creative Writing Camp for high school students
Area high school students interested in creative writing have until Feb. 9 to sign up for a unique opportunity offered by Vance-Granville Community College. The Spring 2013 VGCC Creative Writing Camp is scheduled for Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. at the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Students in the ninth, tenth and eleventh grades who love to write — whether poetry or prose, fiction or nonfiction — and would like to see their work in …
New Year offers new opportunities to learn language, arts and crafts at VGCC
Vance-Granville Community College has scheduled several personal enrichment classes to start soon on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County, offering area residents a variety of fun opportunities to learn new skills or develop hobbies. “Beginning Spanish,” taught by José Martínez, will meet on Mondays and Wednesdays from 6 until 9 p.m., Feb. 4 through March 27. Students will learn the basics of the Spanish language, including common phrases and grammatical cues, and they will gain a foundation in beginning …
Tuesday Open Line
The nation’s telephone service options changed forever on this date 31 years ago when AT&T complied with a Justice Department mandate to give up its local Bell System companies. The action came as the result of what has been termed the most significant antitrust suit since the breakup of Standard Oil in 1911. From the late 19th century, the virtual monopoly of what had come to be known as “Ma Bell” controlled America’s telephone equipment and lines. After the breakup, …
Vance County Schools – High School Exam Schedule for First Semester
The high school exam schedule to end the first semester in Vance County Schools has been announced. First semester exams will be administered at Northern Vance, Southern Vance and Western Vance high schools on Thursday, January 10, and Friday, January 11, during the school day. First and third-period exams will be administered on Thursday, with second and fourth-period exams administered on Friday. Students will be dismissed at the regular time of 3:15 p.m. each day. State end-of-course tests in selected …
VGCC recognizes Pharmacy Technology students at Pinning
Vance-Granville Community College honored students who recently completed the Pharmacy Technology program with a pinning ceremony, held on Dec. 13 in the small auditorium on the college’s Main Campus. The 11 new graduates of the diploma program included Emily Renee Yancey of Bullock; Michelle Monet Link of Creedmoor; Karen Ruth Nielsen of Franklinton; Victoria Elaine Bolton, Deanna Louise Clark and Nicole Null Darnell, all of Henderson; Kayla Marie Ciarrocchi and Ashlie Nicole Tharrington, both of Oxford; Monica Lassister Boswell of …
Animal Feed Supplier Selects Wayne County, N.C. for New Facility
RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that ACX Pacific Northwest Inc. will locate a new facility in Wayne County. The company plans to create 38 jobs and invest $4.7 million over the next three years in Goldsboro. The project was made possible in part by a $60,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. “My first priority is creating jobs. Our state’s top-notch business climate continues to attract companies like ACX,” said Gov. Perdue. “This announcement also strengthens our …
City of Henderson – Notice of Possible Attendance CANCELLED
Last week, was an announcement of a meeting regarding REEF project City Council members may attend, however this meeting is now cancelled and has been indefinitely postponed. The original notice is here: The Henderson City Council has been invited to attend a meeting at Shiloh Baptist Church on January 8, 2013, at 6:00 p.m. to specifically discuss Plan B for what has been known as the REEF Project. It is possible a quorum of City Council Members may attend; however, …
NC Department of Public Instruction Receives 161 Letters of Intent from Organizations Planning to Open Charter Schools
Community organizations, nonprofits and other interested groups have submitted 161 Letters of Intent to apply to open a public charter school in August 2014. The letters were delivered to the N.C. Department of Public Instruction by 2 p.m. today and signal that the groups plan to submit a charter proposal to the NCDPI’s Office of Charter Schools by noon on March 1, 2013. “The continued interest in establishing public charter schools reveals that organizations across the state recognize that these …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: A New Beginning in the 113th Congress
Last week I was sworn in for my second term in the 113th Congress. I am excited to be serving as a new member on the powerful House Energy and Commerce Committee and Subcommittees on Health, Oversight and Investigations, and Communications and Technology. In this newsletter, you will find information about the bill the House voted on this week to avoid the Fiscal Cliff and the reasons I was not able to support it. Also in this newsletter is information …
Troxler encourages agricultural community to comment on FDA’s proposed food safety rules
RALEIGH — N.C. Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler said the release today of long-awaited federal food safety rules represents an opportunity for farmers, packers, food companies, government and the public to work together to improve food safety in America. The proposed rules announced by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration emphasize measures that farmers and produce packers should take to prevent the contamination of fresh fruits and vegetables. The rules also include preventive measures for the manufacturing of food products. “The …
Electrical Components Manufacturer to Expand in Wayne County, N.C.
RALEIGH – Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that Balfour Beatty Rail Inc. will expand its operations in Wayne County. The company plans to create 29 jobs and invest more than $1 million during the next three years in Goldsboro. The project was made possible in part by a $60,000 grant from the One North Carolina Fund. “My highest priority is creating jobs,” Gov. Perdue said. “Our state’s highly-rated workforce and job training programs create a strong business climate where advanced …
White House Weekly Address: Working Together in the New Year to Grow Our Economy and Shrink Our Deficits
In this week’s address, President Obama talks about the bipartisan agreement that Congress reached this week which prevented a middle-class tax hike, congratulates the newly sworn-in members of Congress, and looks forward to working with the new Congress in the new year to continue to grow our economy and shrink our deficits in a balanced way. Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that’s happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President spent several days in …