Please note the following schedule of upcoming committee meetings. All meetings will be held in the administrative conference room. Public Safety Committee (Brummitt, Brown, Wilder) Wednesday, August 19 at 4:00 p.m. Purpose: Review Animal Shelter Drawings Tax Reval Ad Hoc Committee (Brummitt, Brown, Garrison) Monday, August 31 at 2:00 p.m. Purpose: Tax Revaluation matters Water Planning Committee (Garrison, Brummitt, Taylor) Monday, August 31 at 3:00 p.m. Purpose: Water Project matters Properties Committee (Brown, Brummitt, Hester) Tuesday, …
Month: August 2015
Senator Richard Burr: ABLE Act, IRS Targeting, Benefits to Veterans
Last week, I was pleased to see that the North Carolina General Assembly passed the ABLE Act, and it is now on its way to Governor McCrory for his signature. I am proud that our state is championing this important law for North Carolinians with disabilities and their families. Check out Winston Salem Journal’s story on the ABLE Act here. In Washington on Thursday, the Finance committee released a bipartisan report on the Internal Revenue Service’s targeting of organizations applying for …
State Board of Education Strengthens its Role in Halifax County Schools to Address Financial, Personnel and Student Placement Decisions
Citing examples of unaddressed recommendations and heightened concern for the students, teachers, principals and staff in Halifax County Schools (HCS), the State Board of Education today sent a letter to the Halifax Board of Education stating that it will take a more direct role in the district’s budget, employment decisions and student course assignment decisions effective immediately. The Board stressed that it is acting on behalf of the students in the district to support their quality education. “We are concerned …
Tuesday Open Line
An invention that has had a profound impact on our use of fabrics and on the nation’s economy was patented this week in 1851 — the home sewing machine, developed by Isaac Singer. The idea of the sewing machine — and some working models — went back to nearly a century before 1851. But Singer’s simple, sturdy machine was the first to be a commercial success. While far fewer people sew at home as avidly as was done in the …
Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery (Board of Commissioners August 3rd 2015)
The six active county commissioners held their regular monthly meeting this past Monday. The meeting was relatively short and much of the normal commissioner rancor. The meeting opened with public comments a nice change especially when the public is present to make meaningful and informed comments. Public Comments Sandra Butler Tubbs, spoke for her five minutes on an issue she says is on the near horizon, an increasing population of seniors. According to Mr. Tubbs in the next five years …
VGCC Names New Director of Student Activities & Athletics
Jeffrey Allen has been named the director of student activities and athletics at Vance-Granville Community College. Allen will oversee clubs, organizations and extracurricular activities that engage students on campus, as well as the college’s intercollegiate athletics program, which includes men’s basketball and women’s volleyball teams. He will also serve as the advisor for the VGCC Student Government Association (SGA). Allen was active in student government when he was an undergraduate, and feels passionately about involving VGCC students in such opportunities. …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Ensuring Access to Screenings
Photo of the Week This picture is from my very first visit to Fort Bragg in March, 2011. Since then, I have continually fought on behalf of the brave men and women in my district. As the representative of Fort Bragg, including the 440th Airlift Wing at the Pope Army Airfield, military and national defense is of the utmost importance to me. For this reason, I have fought against the U.S. Army’s decision to deactivate the 440th Airlift Wing and …
White House Weekly Address: Reaffirming Our Commitment to Protecting the Right to Vote
In this week’s address, the President celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act by underscoring the importance of one of the most fundamental rights of our democracy — that all of us are created equal and that each of us deserves a voice. The enactment of the Voting Rights Act wasn’t easy — it was the product of sacrifice from countless men and women who risked so much to protect every person’s right to vote. The President reminded …
Monday Open Line
The Smithsonian Institution was founded on this date in 1846. It is named for British scientist James Smithson, who willed his fortune to the U.S. to establish the institution, even though he had never visited America. Today, the Smithsonian is the world’s largest museum and research complex, made up of 19 museums and galleries, the National Zoo, and nine research centers. It currently has nearly 138 million items in its collections. It is one of the main attractions for both …
City of Henderson City Council Meeting Monday August 10th, 2015
Henderson City Council Regular Meeting Monday, 10 August 2015 6:00 PM City Hall Council Chambers, 134 Rose Ave., Henderson, NC 27536 Download the full agenda here: 20150810_coh_agenda_packet I. CALL TO ORDER II. ROLL CALL III. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE IV. OPENING REMARKSIn order to provide for the highest standards of ethical behavior and Transparency in Governanceas well as provide for good and open government, the City Council has approved Core Valuesregarding Ethical Behavior1 and Transparency in Governance2. The Mayor now …
Rusty McMahon: Duplicitous!
Recently, the Dispatch ran a guest column by Tommy Hester, Vance County Commissioner and local developer. Hester masterfully claimed that redistribution of tax revenue is bad and that redistribution of tax revenue is good. Hester claims that a proposed legislative plan would “penalize counties that are the state’s main centers of commerce” by redistributing sales tax dollars to counties that are not as well off. Economic powerhouses like Vance County will have to subsidize less successful counties. Newsflash! We are …
Final Shift on Rolesville Bypass Will Happen This Weekend
Raleigh–The final traffic shift on the U.S. 401 Rolesville Bypass will take place Saturday, Aug. 8, between 9 p.m. and 12 a.m., weather permitting. This will complete putting the bypass in its final four-lane pattern. Currently the northern section of the bypass from just south of Creek Pine Drive to N.C. 96 is in a two-lane pattern. Once this shift is complete, the bypass will be in its final four-lane pattern. The work is part of a $25 million project …
Shrimp arrive Saturday August 8th Vance County Regional Farmers Market
At The Farmers Market This Week *Apples *Butter Beans *Cantaloupe *Corn *Cucumbers *Cut Flowers *Eggs *Eggplant *Green Beans *Honey *Okra *Onions *Peaches *Peas *Peppers *Potatoes *Radishes *Sauces & Rubs *Shrimp *Squash *Tomatoes *Watermelons We will have SHRIMP at the VCRFM Saturday, August 8th We will also feature many handmade crafts such as textiles, soaps, note cards, and artwork. Rounding out our variety of goods this week will be an assortment of plants -including hanging baskets, herbs, & vegetable plants; baked …
N.C. wine and grape industry has $1.71-billion impact on state’s economy
RALEIGH – Wine lovers may raise a glass to a new report that shows the North Carolina wine and grape industry contributes $1.71 billion to the state’s economy. “It is encouraging to see continued growth in the wine and grape industry, not only for our wineries, but also for our grape growers,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “More than 77 percent of all wine produced in North Carolina comes from North Carolina grapes.” The study was commissioned by the N.C. …
Vance County Board of Education Meeting Monday August 10th, 2015
Vance County Board of Education Henderson, N. C. 27536 August 10, 2015 7:00 p.m. Administrative Services Center A G E N D A I. Call to Order II. Moment of Silence * III. Approval of Minutes IV. Oath of Office – Dr. Anthony D. Jackson, Superintendent * V. Approval of Meeting Agenda VI. Recognitions/Announcements VII. Comments from the Public (Citizens who would like to address the Board may do so by completing Form BDDH-E, Public Participation at Board Meetings. …
Friday / Weekend Open Lines
Friday, August 7th. One of the engines of business and personal life in the 21st century is just 24 years old this month — the World Wide Web. The concept debuted this week in 1991, developed by two scientists at the Cern Laboratory in Geneva, Switzerland. At 24, the Web is quite a bit younger than the U.S. median age of 37, but in its brief life has come to shape our daily lives. It took some time to get …
Thursday Open Line
On this date 101 years ago, American motorists got the green light to confidently proceed through increasingly traveled crossroads. A traffic light system, credited with being the first in the U.S., flashed red and green at the intersection of 105th Street and Euclid Avenue in Cleveland, Ohio. To further prompt drivers, the words “Stop” and “Move” were emblazoned on the operating red and green lights. At the time, there were about 1.8 million motor vehicles in the U.S., six times …
Louisburg College Announces an Exciting Line Up for the 2015-2016 Allen de Hart Concert Series
LOUISBURG, NC | The College is pleased to announce an exciting line-up for the 2015-2016 Allen de Hart Concert Series. With seven sensational shows and two pre-concert holiday dinners, this series is sure to offer something for everyone! The series will open with a concert by Melissa Manchester on Friday, September 11, 2015. Manchester’s extraordinary career has earned both critical praise and commercial success. “Don’t Cry Out Loud” delivered her first Grammy nomination for Best Pop Female Vocal Performance in …
Building Reuse Grows Jobs & Communities
In today’s fast-paced economy, it doesn’t take long for a once-modern industrial building to become obsolete. But companies and communities looking to update older buildings can tap state support through the Building Reuse Grant Program. Administered by the Rural Economic Development Division of the North Carolina Department of Commerce, the program provides matching funds to property owners and tenants for modernization of electrical systems, plumbing, lighting, HVAC, security features and more. The result is not just better buildings, but permanent …
Communities Can Strengthen Innovation
The North Carolina Board of Science, Technology and Innovation is a key partner in a new initiative to build and sustain local innovation in communities outside of the Triangle and Charlotte. InnovateNC: A Cross-City Learning Collaborative will be an intensive, two-year collaborative allowing up to five North Carolina communities to build and sustain their local innovation ecosystems based on a new economic development model. By actively sharing best practices and then widely disseminating results, InnovateNC intends to help scale innovation …