Among his very many achievements, Benjamin Franklin played a leading role in the founding of America’s first hospital, decades before the Declaration of Independence. Together with Dr. Thomas Bond, he obtained a charter for a hospital to serve the poor, sick and insane in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania Hospital opened on this date in 1752 in a converted house. The hospital later developed at a location where a modern medical complex still serves the city. During its long history, the hospital’s …
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NC Cooperative Extension Updates
TOBACCO FLOAT BED WATER SAMPLES It’s time to submit water samples for your tobacco greenhouse float beds! The Vance/Warren offices of Cooperative Extension can deliver those samples for you, but please note the following: Call in advance so we can schedule the delivery. It’s critical that samples be delivered in a timely fashion, preferably within 24 hours of collection. Bring payment in form of check or money order ($5 per sample). For more info., visit this site. PESTICIDE RECERTIFICATION CLASSES …
VGCC Trustees endorse Connect NC Bond
The Vance-Granville Community College Board of Trustees has voiced its support of the Connect NC Bond on the ballot for voters in the primary on March 15. In a unanimous vote on Monday night, Feb. 8, at the trustees’ regular bimonthly meeting, the board adopted a resolution of support for the $2 billion bond package. “The Connect NC Bond … will enable North Carolina’s systems of higher education to educate and train a highly qualified workforce for the 21st century …
Webster Completes Work for Doctorate
Lisa Webster, the teacher for academically and intellectually gifted students at Zeb Vance Elementary School, said she did it to honor her mother. She worked for more than five years and recently earned her doctoral degree for Exceptional Children in Education. Her degree is from North Central University and she completed all of her work online. “My mother always instilled education in me,” Webster said. “Education was a big thing to her. She saw me get my bachelor’s degree and …
Wednesday Open Line
This month 150 years ago, Lucy Hobbs Taylor received a doctorate in dentistry from the Ohio College of Dental Surgery. She was the first American woman so credentialed, and it’s believed she was also the first in the world. Born in 1833, Lucy Hobbs at first tried to attend medical school, but finding that avenue closed to her, studied dentistry. Beginning in 1861, she practiced without a certificate as was common at the time. Following her graduation, she married James …
VGCC welcomes “Thomas Jefferson” for lecture series
Vance-Granville Community College’s Arts and Sciences division is offering a spring lecture series with a distinguished guest speaker, former President Thomas Jefferson — or, to be exact, Bill Barker, the critically acclaimed resident “Mr. Jefferson” at Colonial Williamsburg, Va. The public is invited to attend the Jefferson presentations, as are VGCC students, faculty and staff. On Thursday, Feb. 18, at 11 a.m., the series kicks off with “Mr. Jefferson and the Pursuit of Science.” That will be followed by “Mr. …
Shooting on West Andrews Avenue, Reward Offered for Info
On Monday, February 08, 2016 at 11:24 A.M., members of the Henderson Police Department responded to Gate City Foods, 601 W. Andrews Avenue, Henderson in response to someone being shot. Arriving officers found Tre’shon Cheek, 18, 315 Davis Street, Henderson suffering from a gunshot wound. Cheek died as a result of his injuries. The investigation of this matter is being handled by the Henderson Police Department Criminal Investigation Division. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Henderson Police Department …
Local Chick-fil-A owner starts new VGCC Scholarship
Josh Towne, the franchised restaurant owner/operator of the Chick-fil-A in Henderson, has established a new Vance-Granville Community College scholarship. When fully endowed, the “Chick-fil-A of Henderson Academic Achievement Scholarship” will be awarded to VGCC students meeting certain academic requirements. A New Bern native, Towne has lived in Henderson since moving in 2005 to become the operator of the local Chick-fil-A restaurant. He has worked with the company for the past 20 years. He is also an alumnus of the North …
2016 N.C. boll weevil assessment remains at $1 per acre
The board of the Boll Weevil Eradication Foundation of North Carolina has set the 2016 boll weevil assessment at $1 per acre of cotton, keeping the fee the same for the third straight year. The fee supports the foundation’s efforts to monitor cotton acreage in North Carolina for any re-introduction of the boll weevil and to respond promptly with eradication treatments if necessary. “Cotton production tapered back last year from record 2014 numbers, with an average yield of 686 pounds …
NC Schools Will “Love the Bus” February 8-12
In Alamance-Burlington Schools, they will receive cards, gift cards, goodie baskets, donuts, coffee, biscuits, candy and sweet treats. In Buncombe County, they will be recognized at a community assembly, spotlighted during morning announcements, and invited to PTO-sponsored lunch with principals. In Iredell-Statesville Schools, they will receive breakfast, lunch and treats each day along with thank you notes from students. All across North Carolina this week school bus drivers will be “feeling the love” as schools and districts celebrate national Love …
Thomas Receives Doctorate Degree
Carnetta Thomas, principal of L.B. Yancey Elementary School, has successfully completed work for her doctoral degree. Thomas learned in early January that she had met all requirements to earn her doctorate in Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She received her degree through the University of Phoenix with most work done online. “I am really happy about this,” Thomas said. “I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It was not easy at all.” Like …
College Students Read at Clarke Elementary
Students from several area universities visited Clarke Elementary School in mid-December to read to classes of students and talk about their college experiences. Steven Evans, counselor at Clarke, coordinated the visits. He joined Clarke faculty and staff members in welcoming their collegiate visitors. The visits were made by students from N.C. Central, UNC Greensboro, N.C. A&T State, East Carolina, N.C. State, Appalachian State and Winston-Salem State universities. The collegians read aloud their favorite children’s books. They read in …
Tuesday Open Line
On this date in 1825, our most unusual presidential election was held; with the winner receiving just 13 votes to the runner-up’s seven, and four to the third-place finisher. The election held in November 1824 saw only 353,000 votes cast, out of a population of about 10 million residents. Andrew Jackson won a plurality of 43 percent in the four-way race. But Jackson received only 99 of the 131 electoral votes needed to win. So the matter went to the …
Vance County Board of Commissioners Properties Committee Meeting Tuesday, February 9, 2016
Please note that the County’s Properties Committee (Brummitt, Kelly, Wilder) is scheduled to meet Tuesday, February 9 at 3:00 p.m. in the administrative conference room. The purpose is to discuss abandoned properties and an offer to purchase foreclosed property. All commissioners are invited to attend.
Pastors Visit Four Local Schools
Pastors of local churches took time out of their busy schedules to visit four schools in the Vance County Schools system on February 3. The school system invited pastors and church leaders throughout Vance County to take part in the four-hour event during the morning to learn more about the many positive things happening in local schools. Dr. Anthony D. Jackson, superintendent of Vance County Schools, led the group of about 15 pastors on the tours. They visited the STEM …
Henderson City Council Meeting Monday February 8th, 2016
Henderson City Council Regular Meeting on Monday, 8 February 2016 6:00 PM in the City Hall Council Chambers, 134 Rose Ave., Henderson, NC 27536 Download the full agenda packet here: 20160208_coh_agenda_package.pdf 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 …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: #KeepPounding
Photo of the Week Showing my support for the Carolina Panthers by dabbin’ on ’em while enjoying bet-winning Arizona tamales thanks to Congresswoman Kyrsten Sinema. Click here to see the video. Weekly Update: This week House Republicans demonstrated to the American people our continued commitment to repealing Obamacare and defunding Planned Parenthood. On Tuesday, the House took up a measure to override the president’s veto of legislation that would have done both these things. While the override attempt was …
Henderson – Vance Crime Stoppers Crimes of the Month, Rewards Offered
Break & Entering & Larceny Case On September 19, 2015 at approximately 10:57 AM., Henderson Police Officers responded to 1034 South Williams Street, in reference to a Breaking and Entering and Larceny. Upon arrival Officers talked to Mr. Joseph Yourk who stated that someone had broken into a storage facility and removed 20 tractor low pro tires and a transmission jack. The Henderson Police Department encourages any person with information related to these cases to contact Henderson –Vance Crime Stoppers …
Monday Open Line
Today is Chinese New Year, marking the beginning of 4714, the year of the monkey in the Chinese Zodiac. This month in the year 4670, more familiar to us as 1972, President Richard Nixon surprised everyone with his dramatic state visit to China. This successful diplomatic initiative led to expanded contacts between the U.S. and that nation. Today, China is a major U.S. trading partner. In 2014, China bought nearly $124 billion of American goods, while we imported over $466 …
New State Charter School Director Named
The State Board of Education today approved David Machado as the new director of the Department of Public Instruction’s Office of Charter Schools. Machado, chief administrator of the Lincoln Charter School in Lincoln County, has served in that role for the past 12 years. “David Machado is the right person to provide leadership for the continued advancement of quality public charter schools in North Carolina,” said Bill Cobey, chairman of the State Board of Education. “He is a success in …