Halifax, Nash, Vance, Warren and Wilson Counties District – 4 Senator Angela R. Bryant Volume 15, Issue XII October 11, 2016 NEWS FROM RALEIGH… I always welcome your comments, project updates, suggestions, and visits. My office door and electronic door are always open to you! You are also invited to attend any and all Sessions and Committees. Visit the website for Session and Committee meeting times. As always, thank you for your support! NEWSLETTER NEWS: …
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Vance County Public Schools November 8, 2016 Changed to Mandatory Teacher Workday, No School for Students
The Vance County Board of Education during its meeting Monday night approved the rescheduling of Tuesday, November 8, 2016, which is National Election Day, to a mandatory teacher workday with no school for students. It was originally scheduled as a regular school day. Five of our schools, New Hope, L.B. Yancey, E.O. Young, Henderson Middle and Northern Vance High, are used as voting sites. It was the opinion of the board and school system administrators that with the expected large …
Vance County Appearance Commission Promotes Recycling
The Vance County Appearance Commission is seeking increased participation from residents across the county in efforts to recycle household items and other materials that can be reused. Local participation in recycling by residents is less than 30 percent across Vance County. Members of the County Appearance Commission want more residents to recycle. Recycling in Henderson and throughout Vance County is easy. In the city of Henderson, all recyclable items can be placed in the plastic bins provided by the city. …
Cardinal Innovations Needs Assessment Survey
The new Cardinal Innovations Needs Assessment Survey allows Cardinal Innovations to determine what needs the Henderson, Vance County, and surrounding communities are experiencing regarding Mental Health/Intellectual Disabilities/Substance Use Disorders. In order to ensure that the voices of our members, their family members, their providers, and other community members are being heard, we are conducting this survey to collect information about those needs. Cardinal Innovations Healthcare is dedicated to our members and our communities. Our purpose is to enhance the health …
Henderson Vance Downtown Development Commission Performs Landscaping
The Henderson Vance Downtown Development Commission has contracted with local landscaper Cordell’s Landscaping to clean up neglected areas behind the buildings on Garnett Street in downtown Henderson, NC. Funding was provided by the HVDDC and work began Summer of 2016. The HVDDC is seeking the cooperation of downtown businesses and property owners to contribute funds to keep this and other areas maintained. Especially with some properties being vacant, they are not being maintained to city standards and have become an eyesore. The …
VGCC invites high school seniors to FAFSA Days
Vance-Granville Community College is holding events at all four of its campuses to offer free help to local high school seniors and their families with applying for financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education recently made the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available for the 2017-2018 year, so students can complete this important form earlier than in years past. The FAFSA Days will be held on Tuesday, October 18, from 1 to 7 p.m. at VGCC’s Franklin County …
IT certification courses offered at VGCC through new grant
Information technology training courses are set to be offered soon at Vance-Granville Community College, and grant funding from the new NC TechHire program can help eligible area residents pay for them. These courses are offered in a “hybrid” format, with some coursework online and some on VGCC’s Main Campus. Three upcoming courses provide opportunities to earn certain certifications through CompTIA, the Computing Technology Industry Association. The CompTIA certifications are internationally recognized and are required by most companies hiring information technology …
Chamber Ribbon Cutting – Carver Elementary School
A ribbon cutting was held on Friday, September 30th for Carver Elementary School as they celebrated their new multipurpose room was officially dedicated in memory of Eddie Wright, the late Vance County Board of Commissioners’ member who proved to be the school’s biggest advocate in getting the facility constructed. All of the 225 students in the school were joined by the entire school staff, parents, friends and local officials in dedicating the new multipurpose room and participating in a ribbon-cutting …
Attorney General Roy Cooper: Watch out for price gouging
Hurricane Matthew may be headed to North Carolina and consumers need to be alert for possible price gouging. While most businesses pull together when disaster threatens, some may try to use this storm to charge outrageous prices. Price gouging—or charging too much in times of crisis—is against North Carolina law when a disaster, an emergency or an abnormal market disruption for critical goods and services is declared. North Carolina’s price gouging law is currently in effect for all goods and …
Steve Troxler urges farmers to prepare for Hurricane Matthew
With Hurricane Matthew looking more certain to affect North Carolina, Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is urging farmers to have emergency plans in place for their farms and share those plans with workers in advance of landfall. Many crops are still in the field and recent rains from tropical storms have saturated parts of eastern North Carolina, said Troxler. “This creates a perfect condition for downed trees, flooded pastures and crops lost in the field. But farmers can take some steps …
Vance County Schools Administrators Professional Development
The “Leading the Learning” professional development sessions for Vance County Schools administrators continued in September with classroom walkthroughs at four schools over a two-day period. All of the sessions have been led by Bruce Oliver, an education consultant with Just ASK (Attitude, Skills and Knowledge). Oliver was on hand on September 22 and 23 for the school walkthroughs. The first day featured half of the administrators visiting classrooms at either E.O. Young Jr. Elementary or STEM Early High. On the …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Ellie’s Law
Photo of the Week Listening to testimony about some of the barriers women in the workforce still face in a recent hearing held by the Women in the 21st Century Workforce Working Group. Weekly Update Continuing the trend we’ve seen over the past few months in other states, this week brought bad news from Tennessee regarding the Obamacare exchanges. The Tennessean reported, “BlueCross BlueShield of Tennessee will not sell insurance plans on the Obamacare exchange in the state’s three …
Vance County High School Students Attend College Fair
Students from the four local high schools attended the annual College Fair held at Vance-Granville Community College on September 21. The two-hour event was held in the morning in the community college’s Civic Center. There were representatives from approximately 60 colleges and universities in attendance to share information about future educational opportunities with students from Northern Vance, Southern Vance, Western Vance and the Vance County Early College high schools.
Vance County Board of Commissioners to Consider Displaying “In God We Trust” On Public Buildings
At the October 3rd, 2016 meeting, Vance County Board of Commissioners are expected to vote on an initiative from the U.S. Motto Action Committee, a group that actively encourages local elected officials across NC and our nation to display the National Motto. The group has successfully lobbied nearly 50 other counties in North Carolina to alter their building signage to include the wording “In God We Trust” to their public buildings. Pictures of their proposed modifications include the Vance County Court House and …
Biodiesel 4 Schools Donations to Vance County Schools
The Biodiesel 4 Schools Program has donated $460 to Vance County Schools since June. The school system entered a partnership with the program in January of 2015. Dean Price of Green Circle N.C., administers the program that partners with public school systems across this region of North Carolina to turn used cooking oil from local businesses into biodiesel fuel used in certain motor vehicles. The program then provides the school system with a percentage of the funds collected each quarter …
VGCC awarded grant for revamped Male Mentoring initiative
Vance-Granville Community College recently received a $17,234 grant from the North Carolina Community College System to fund the Male Mentoring Success Initiative at the college for the 2016-2017 academic year. All first-year male students at the college will now be involved in the expanded program, according to Anthony Pope, a VGCC academic & career coach who coordinates the initiative. Representatives of VGCC and other colleges that received the grants attended a system-wide kick-off event on Aug. 30 at Wake Technical …
NC Students Make Gains on SAT, AP Exams
North Carolina high school students saw performance gains last year on key measures of college readiness – the SAT college admissions exam and on Advanced Placement tests, according to results released today by The College Board, which administers the national exams. North Carolina’s average SAT scores for 2016 high school graduates from all schools increased by 1 point each on the critical reading (502) and math (508) portions of the exam. State gains on both parts of the test outpaced …
Tracy Thorpe Selected Vance County Schools Exceptional Children’s “Educator of Excellence” for 2016-2017.
Tracy Thorpe teaches students with autism at Northern Vance High School. She has a total of seven years of experience in education. Thorpe has a passion for teaching and is dedicated and committed to the academic success of her students. She will be recognized for her outstanding contributions made to improving students’ outcomes during the 66th N.C. Conference on Exceptional Children at the Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, November 9-10.
State Unemployment Rate Drops Lower, Remains Below National Average
Governor Pat McCrory announced this week that North Carolina’s unemployment rate dropped even lower to 4.6 percent in August, the lowest since April 2007. “North Carolina has seen one of the largest decreases in unemployment in the nation since 2013 and we are home to one of the fastest growing economies in the nation,” said Governor McCrory. “With a declining unemployment rate and more than 300,000 new jobs added, it is clear that our pro-growth economic policies continue to make North …
Chamber Ribbon Cutting – Flickers Sports Bar and Grill
Henderson take note: you now have a new local restaurant option, in Downtown Henderson! The Chamber celebrated our newest Chamber member, Flickers Sports Bar and Grill with a Ribbon Cutting on Tuesday, September 20th at their 200 S. Garnett Street location. Flickers is a sports bar and grill that provides the tri-county area a place to come enjoy an atmosphere of ultimate sports viewing. They specialize in gourmet flavored wings, chicken-n-waffles, Panini sandwiches, subs, burgers and more. While there be …