Today is the start of the Affordable Care Act’s fifth – and shortest – open-enrollment period. Consumers will have until midnight on Dec. 15 – just 45 days, which is half the length of past enrollment periods – to enroll in 2018 coverage on the Health Insurance Marketplace. Here are some other important facts for consumers to know: The Affordable Care Act is still the law, and Americans must be enrolled in health insurance in 2018 to avoid paying …
Author: Debbie Pannill
City of Henderson Fall/Holiday Trash Schedule
The City of Henderson Public Works Department Sanitation Division will follow the schedule below for holidays during the months of November & December. Friday, Veterans Day, November 10, 2017 Garbage collection by Waste Industries will run its normal schedule Brush by the City will run its normal schedule No recycling this week Sanitation-Brush and Recycling by the City November-23rdThanksgiving Day-collection will be Wednesday November 22nd November-25th Friday route will run its normal schedule No recycling this week December-25th Christmas Day-normal …
VGCC Offers Online Four-Week Classes Over Holidays
Students can “spring forward” before spring 2018 at Vance-Granville Community College, thanks to a four-week curriculum course format being offered for the second consecutive year. The four-week mini-term starts on Monday, Dec. 18, 2017, and ends on Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2018, in a so-called “intersession,” as it takes place mostly between the regular fall and spring semesters. The courses on this schedule include Success & Study Skills (ACA 115), College Transfer Success (ACA 122), Principles of Management (BUS 137), Introduction …
Applications for 6th – 12th Grade Student Open Enrollments for the 2018 – 2019 at Oxford Prep Begins on Monday, November 6th.
Applications for new 6th – 12th grade student enrollments for the 2018 – 2019 school year will be available at oxfordprep.org and available in the school office when Open Enrollment begins on Monday, November 6th. Oxford Preparatory School (OPS) is an independent and tuition-free public charter school that is designed to mold students into future leaders through completion of a rigorous curriculum while focusing on community service and developing an appreciation of the arts. OPS offers a college preparatory curriculum, …
Unity Day October 25
Vance County Schools is supporting “Unity Day” on Wednesday, October 25, to join in the national effort to show unity against bullying. Everyone in our schools and throughout the Vance County community is asked to wear orange on “Unity Day” to show we are united for kindness, acceptance and inclusion. For more information on the movement, please see http://www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/unity-day.asp
Butterfield Statement on Trump Attacks on ACA
Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) released the following statement on President Donald Trump’s executive order allowing health plans that do not comply with coverage regulations outlined by the Affordable Care Act (ACA) and his announcement on Friday that he will no longer fund cost sharing reduction subsidies that help low-income individuals afford health insurance under the ACA: “For the last ten months, the American people have rejected attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act by President Trump and Congressional …
Driver License and ID Services Available at 2017 N.C. State Fair
In addition to taking in the many sights and sounds of the 150th North Carolina State Fair, attendees will be able to receive driver license services from the N.C. Division of Motor Vehicles. The DMV booth and Mobile RV will be located between the Dorton Arena and Jim Graham Building. From 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday-Friday and on Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, the DMV RV will offer license and identification card renewal services for fairgoers to obtain …
Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) on the Republican Tax Principles Announced Today
Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) released the following statement on the Republican tax principles announced today: “I have always been ready to work with my colleagues on bipartisan tax reform. However, the tax proposal announced today by the Trump Administration and Republican leadership is wholly unacceptable and harmful to working families. “Instead of working toward comprehensive improvements to the tax code that would benefit the majority of Americans, this plan would hand trillions of dollars in tax cuts …
More NC Students Taking Advanced Placement Exams, Earning College Credit
Continuing a recent trend, more North Carolina high school students are taking and succeeding in college-level Advanced Placement courses, according to a report released today by The College Board, which administers the AP program and exams. The number of public school students in North Carolina taking at least one AP exam in 2016-17 increased 6 percent from the previous year, compared to a 5.2 percent increase nationally, according to The College Board data. “It is encouraging to see more students …
Vance-Granville Community College’s Open House For Adult Basic Skills
Vance-Granville Community College will hold an Open House for its Adult Basic Skills department on Tuesday, October 3, from 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. and later from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., in room 7212 of Building 7 on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. “We invite all who did not finish high school to come see and hear how our Adult Basic Skills Department can either help adults gain enough credits to earn a high school diploma or gain …
You Need to Know: Grandparent Scammers are Active, and Teaming Up on Potential Victims
It’s an old scam with a new twist – con artists know that most grandparents would do anything to help their grandkids. They attempt to exploit that love in the “Hey Grandma, it’s me!” scam by pretending to be a grandchild in distress. We’ve seen a significant uptick in these scams lately, particularly in the Wake County area. Just this week, our office has received a half-dozen reports of the scam. In a current variation, callers claimed they were leaving …
School Breakfast and School Performance
School breakfasts have been in the news. New York City public schools recently announced that breakfast would be free to all of their students. Governor Roy Cooper and First Lady Kristen Cooper recently visited Riverside High School in Durham to tout that school’s policy of offering free breakfast to all of its students. Currently, only 58% of North Carolina students eligible for free/reduced meals are eating school breakfasts. Timing and transportation difficulties are part of the reason, but there is …
Beware of Buying Used Cars Following The Recent Storms
Vehicles that have been totally or partially submerged often show up for sale on new and used car lots, after extensive cleaning that makes it hard for buyers to detect damage. Under North Carolina law flood damage must be disclosed in writing, but title paperwork is sometimes unlawfully altered to remove any mention of flood damage. To avoid buying a flood-damaged car: Ask the seller directly if the car has been damaged in any way, including by storms or flooding. Consider …
Vance County School Seeking Bus Drivers
Vance County Schools is seeking adults to work as bus drivers for our schools. Any individuals who currently have the appropriate licenses to drive a school bus or those who are interested in being trained are asked to contact the school system’s Transportation Department by phone at 252-438-5012 or Dean Thomas, coordinator for Student Transportation Services, by email at dthomas@vcs.k12.nc.us.
NCDA&CS activates hotline to help farmers impacted by Hurricane Irma
The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has activated its hotline to connect farmers with resources that can assist with agricultural emergencies. The toll-free number is 1-866-645-9403. The hotline operates 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. “There is still uncertainty about how Hurricane Irma will affect our state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “We anticipate impacts to farms could include power outages, damage to crops and agricultural buildings, and animal health emergencies. We are prepared to work with our state …
VGCC Students Awarded Golden LEAF Scholarships
A group of students from Vance-Granville Community College recently received scholarships through the Golden LEAF Scholarship program for the North Carolina Community College System. The scholarship program, designed to help North Carolinians attend the state’s community colleges, is funded through a $750,000 grant from the Golden LEAF Foundation. The scholarship can be used to assist with tuition, books, fees, supplies, transportation and childcare expenses related to attending classes during the 2016-17 academic year, and industry-recognized credential testing expenses that address …
Butterfield Statement on President Trump’s Decision to End DACA
Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) today released the following statement after Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ remarks confirming President Donald Trump’s decision to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, known as DACA: “DACA offered protection for young people who were brought to the United States as young children, the vast majority of whom know no other home than the United States. Today, President Trump has failed to “show great heart” to the hundreds of thousands of young people …
Starting Today: FREE NC Quick Pass Transponders
To help customers save time and money on both local commuting as well as road trips, starting today, NC Quick Pass will offer free NC Quick Pass transponders and 60 percent off NC Quick Pass E-ZPass compatible transponders ($7.40 + tax) – and those are permanent discounts, not sale prices. “We are excited to offer for the first time free NC Quick Pass transponders,” says Turnpike Authority Executive Director Beau Memory. “This will be a game-changer for both new customers …
Western Vance Facility Has Been Closed
Vance County Schools has officially closed the Western Vance High School building on Poplar Creek Road near Henderson. The facility will no longer be used to house instructional programs by the school system. Superintendent Anthony Jackson recommended relocating the programs currently housed at the Western facility to available unused space on the campus of Henderson Middle School. This recommendation was approved by the Vance County Board of Education at its meeting on June 12. With the board’s action, the AdVance Academy formerly housed at Western …
Tips For Making Donations to Help Hurricane Victims
Hurricanes are something we know far too much about. From Hazel (back in the day), to Fran, and Sandy and Floyd, and countless others, there have been far too many times when we’ve been hit hard, and needed the help of others. Hurricane Harvey tugs at us, because we know what it’s like. But before you make that donation to help, make sure you know where your money is going! (The following is from the Office of Attorney General Josh …