With Mocksville’s Southpointe Business Park operating at near capacity, Davie County leaders wanted to expand the park to include 85 additional acres nearby, but linking the two properties would require a new road and bridge. To address the challenge, Davie leaders turned to the state’s Utility Account for help. Earlier this year, the North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority approved a $450,000 request by the Town of Mocksville that will help make new parcels available for businesses and jobs. The Utility …
Month: August 2015
Wednesday Open Line
Two geniuses in the field of electronics whose inventions changed pastimes the world over were born in August. One was television pioneer Philo Farnsworth, whose 1906 birthday is noted today. He conceived the idea of television broadcasting while still in high school and realized it at the age of 21. The other was Lee de Forest, a Yale Ph.D. in physics. He invented the three-element vacuum tube, a step toward creating radio. Holding hundreds of patents, he was a pioneer …
Middle and High School News August 17-21, 2015
VANCE COUNTY SCHOOLS WEEKLY SCHOOL NEWS Volume 4, Issue 2 A Publication for Middle and High Schools August 17-21, 2015 The MISSION of Vance County Schools is to be committed to educating all students to prepare them for lifelong learning and productive citizenship. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS ? Staff development sessions district wide in various locations on Monday. ? Workshop for elementary cafeteria managers and elementary …
Tuesday Open Line
An emotional and legal battle that lasted many decades ended on this date in 1920, changing the course of U.S. social and political history. The event was the certification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. The amendment prohibits discrimination based on sex with regard to voting — in short, it extended to women the right to vote. Two days earlier, Tennessee had become the required 36th state to ratify the amendment, in spite of last minute efforts by some …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Visiting Patients in the Second District
Photo of the Week Photo by Tyler Douglas | The Daily Record This week, I toured Angier Dialysis in Harnett County where I was able to talk with health care providers and patients about the work they are doing. Scroll down to hear more about my visit to this Center. Weekly Update: The August District work period provides the perfect opportunity to visit with constituents and swing in local businesses and facilities. This week, I had the opportunity to …
White House Weekly Address: Continuing Work to Improve Community Policing
In this week’s address, the President spoke about the work the Administration is doing to enhance trust between communities and law enforcement in the year since the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson. In May, the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing released their final report setting out concrete proposals to build trust and enhance public safety. And across America, local leaders are working to put these ideas into action in their communities. The President noted that while progress …
Monday Open Line
Although the numbers have fallen sharply in the last few decades, still some people in the U.S. succumb to diseases that could have been prevented by immunization. Others experience pain, suffering and disability. That’s why this is National Immunization Awareness Month — highlighting the importance of vaccinations to a long and healthy life. The process of vaccination was known even in ancient cultures. Its most spectacular success came in the eradication of smallpox, a human scourge for thousands of years. …
Rusty McMahon: Caught With His Facts Down
On August 5 2015, Vance County Commissioner Tommy Hester reported alarmingly in the Dispatch that State Senator Harry Brown’s proposed sales tax redistribution “scheme” will cost Vance County $200,000 next year. On August 4, the day before Hester made his proclamation, the State Senate, in a final 34-12 vote, approved Senator Brown’s sales tax proposal. According to the Fiscal Research Division of the NC General Assembly, under Senator Brown’s legislation, Vance County’s sales tax revenue is projected to increase 3% …
Mountain State Fair offers new attractions, rides and more
FLETCHER – Each year, thousands of visitors flock to the WNC Agricultural Center for the N.C. Mountain State Fair to celebrate the people, agriculture and traditions of Western North Carolina. This year, organizers are adding new rides, attractions and exhibits to the lineup of annual favorites. “This year, we’ve brought in several new attractions,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We’ve also expanded the footprint of Heritage Circle to highlight even more traditional crafters that continue to add to the region’s …
Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers Annual Banquet September 17th, 2015
The Henderson-Vance Crime Stoppers will hold its annual fund raising banquet on Thursday, September 17th 2015 at the Vance Granville Community College Civic Center at 6:30 p.m. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Stefanie Williams, President of VGCC. Tickets are $10 each or a table for 8 for $100. The tables can be customized with a company or personal logo. Please contact Lorraine Watkins at 252-492-8407 or stop by The Screen Master at 100 South Garnett Street in downtown or John …
Ducky Derby in Downtown Henderson August 29th, 2015
Franklin-Granville-Vance Smart Start Presents Ducky Derby Festival Saturday, August 29, 2015 10:00 am – 2:00 pm in Downtown Henderson, NC FGV Smart start will hold its 6th annual Ducky Derby fundraiser in downtown Henderson on August 29th. Breckenridge Street will be filled with food vendors and games for children, as well as information booths with resources for families. At 2 o’clock, Garnett Street will again host a river of numbered rubber ducks as the race for prizes begins! Grand Prize-$1,000 2nd Place-$500 3rd Place-$250 …
Friday / Weekend Open Lines
Friday, August 14th. Preserving Social Security is a continuing concern in an increasingly aging America. The demographic profile was different on this date in 1935, when the program was signed into law by President Roosevelt. The program aimed to provide security to retired workers over 65, most of whom had no pension, and life expectancy at birth was just 58 years for men and 62 for women. The first monthly check under the system was for $22.54, issued in January …
VGCC names new Dean of Warren Campus
Lyndon Hall was recently named Dean of Vance-Granville Community College’s Warren County Campus. In his new leadership role, Hall is responsible for supervising all operations at the satellite campus in Warrenton, including both the curriculum and continuing education courses offered there. A Durham resident, Hall has been a member of the college’s staff since 2009. In fact, his new posting marks a return to the location where his VGCC career began, as the Warren Campus Coordinator and college liaison for …
A Section of U.S. 401 Business to close for Paving postponed to Friday night
Raleigh—N.C. Department of Transportation contractors will close a section of U.S.401 Business this Friday, Aug. 14 at 10 p.m. The closure was originally scheduled to take place Thursday night but was pushed back a day because of the rain earlier this week. As always the closure is weather contingent. The road will be closed from the southern intersection with the U.S. 401Rolesville Bypass to Jonesville Road. The work is being done so crews can do final paving in this area. …
North Carolina Weekend
For the week of Aug. 13 on North Carolina Weekend, enjoy the great outdoors at Gorges State Park in Sapphire. Take in the fun at Lazy Daze Arts & Crafts Festival in Cary. Relax at the Hot Springs Resort and Spa in Hot Springs. Go canoe camping along the Tar River. And the “House Special” samples the fare at Tickle My Ribs in Burlington. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. …
N.C. Downtown Development Association hears about Visit North Carolina programs
A myriad of officials from across the state came to the Rocky Mount this week for two different causes, both highlighting the area’s assets. The larger of the two groups represented 13 of the 18 cities in the large cities sector of the N.C. Downtown Development Association, which kicked off the annual meeting Thursday with a cocktail reception at the Rocky Mount Brewmill, a bus tour of downtown then dinner at Prime Smokehouse on the Douglas Block. The group of …
Thursday Open Line
Even in this Internet world, many of us still receive printed catalogs through the mail, especially near the holiday season. The first such catalog — more of a flyer — was sent out by Montgomery Ward late this month in 1872. That first catalog consisted of only one page, featuring 163 items for mail order purchase. The idea was so successful that by 1904, the Ward’s catalog weighed in at four pounds. Montgomery Ward ceased producing its catalog in 1985, …
Vance County Board of Commissioners Notice of Special Meeting August 18th
Please be informed that the Board of Commissioners will hold a special meeting on Tuesday, August 18 at 9:00 a.m. in the Commissioners’ Conference Room. The purpose is to enter into closed session to discuss a personnel matter.
Wednesday Open Line
This date 34 years ago is significant in the advance of the digital age. On August 12, 1981, IBM introduced its model 5150 — which soon became known simply as the “PC.” There had been consumer computer models for some years before, such as the early Apple and Commodore, but the IBM machine marked a turning point in acceptance due to the manufacturer’s prominence. The company was famous for its pioneering, large mainframe computers, and even by 1984, barely over …
A Section of U.S. 401 Business to close for Paving Thursday Night
Raleigh—N.C. Department of Transportation contractors will close a section of U.S.401 Business in Rolesville this Thursday, Aug. 13, from 10 p.m. until 2 a.m. on Friday, weather permitting. The road will be closed from the southern intersection with the U.S. 401 Rolesville Bypass to Jonesville Road. The closure is needed so crews can do final paving in this area. Law enforcement will be assisting with the signed detour. Drivers can follow that detour along U.S. 401 Bypass to Jonesville …