April is an important month in the world of books. In 1800, one of the world’s greatest libraries, the Library of Congress, was founded, and Noah Webster published the first dictionary of American English in 1826. This is also the fourth day of National Library Week, celebrating libraries, those who staff them and the billions of materials they circulate. While computers and electronic media are of increasing importance in the services libraries offer, books remain at the core of their collections. In 2010, there were about 9,000 public libraries across the U.S., along with 17,000 branches and bookmobiles, serving over 297 million customers. You can find more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau, online at <www.census.gov>.
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Everyday I hear people in Henderson and Vance County lamenting the fact that they have not been able to sell their house….some for as long as three years. According to a friend in the real estate business, there are between 800 and 1,000 houses for sale and many more vacant. With this in mind, does it make any sense to build more houses? Why would anyone even think of doing this? The answer is to secure grant money, which is nothing but tax funds. If there are people who want to become homeowners, and that is a good thing, they have plenty to choose from without building more using taxpayers money.
I compare our situation in Vance County to that of Noah during the Great Flood. With water all around him and more falling every second, do you think he prayed for rain? I wasn’t there, but I doubt if he did. With our housing situation what it is, then why should we allow anyone to build more houses utilizing grant money? I continue to be amazed at what goes on here.
Roto Rooter: Many of us agree with all you have said–it is, however, common sense but not to those “in office”.
A moratorium of residential building is the only sane thing right now.
Food for thought regarding expansion of our counties number one business, subsidized housing. Monday morning I happened upon a stranger in the parking lot of the Vance County Courthouse. The stranger and I stuck up a conversation as we walked towards the central processing center for many denizens of our existing subsidized housing. I said good morning. The stranger said any day at the Vance County Court House is a good day. I asked his profession. Attorney he replied, adding he benefits from our level of criminal activity while looking forward to the end of the day when he drives his car out of Vance County. I asked the stranger if he had the power to change just one thing in Vance County what would that be? He answered; close some of the housing authority buildings. I said there is only one. He asked is that North Henderson apartments? I said that was government subsidized housing and not operated by our county’s housing authority. He said section 203? I said I guess so. He said you have a lot of Section 8 housing here. I said about 276 vouchers the rest is government subsidized housing. I added, some local investors want to add more. He asked why. I said maybe to keep you fully employed. He laughed as we parted company entering the court house.
Mr. Bobbitt, that is a great story. I get the same message from friends who live in Warren, Granville and Franklin Counties. They are grateful for relieving them of the burden of paying for the people who feed from the public trough. It seems that the word on the street in these counties is, “Vance County will build it and we will come.”
Points to ponder—At what point will the “local investors” move out of Vance County?
In my opinion they are well on their way to destroying what was home to their ancestors in some cases.