According to figures released Tuesday (yesterday) by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, tourism and travel spending across the U.S. “decelerated” during the first quarter of 2015, growing at an annual rate of just 2 percent. That’s down from the 4.9 percent increase the nation saw in the final quarter of 2014. BEA attributed the decline to reduced spending on food services and drinking places and “all other transportation-related commodities.” Meanwhile, North Carolina has seen no such slowdown. While figures …
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NCDOT to Close I-85 Ramp in Vance County
Raleigh-N.C. Department of Transportation contractors will close the I-85 northbound on-ramp at N.C.39 (Andrews Avenue) on Friday, June 26. The closure, part of a project to improve 20.6 miles of I-85 in Vance and Warren counties, will remain in place until early 2017. Motorists traveling to I-85 North from N.C. 39 can use a signed detour along Beckford Drive to Garnett Street, and then use the I-85 northbound on-ramp at Parham Road. Also, on the weekend of July 10 and …
VGCC launches online scholarship application
A new online system is now available for Vance-Granville Community College students to apply for scholarships established by local citizens and businesses through the college’s Endowment Fund. The online application can be accessed at scholarships.vgcc.edu. To use the system, a student must already be admitted to VGCC and have been assigned a username and password, which they also use for other online college services. Using software from AcademicWorks, Inc., VGCC Endowment Office staff have set up an application that asks …
Thursday Open Line
Today is the anniversary of the first color television broadcast. In 1951, CBS transmitted the appropriately named program “Premiere” from New York City, and through stations in Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia. The program was seen in color only at a few select facilities because color sets for the home weren’t available until 1954. Sales of color sets caught up with those of black and white sets around 1970. Shortly thereafter, American consumers began preferring foreign manufactured sets, and in 1995, …
New Round of Rural Grants Will Mean More Than 1,300 New Jobs
The North Carolina Rural Infrastructure Authority (RIA) approved 15 grants or loans on June 18, totaling more than $6 million with the commitment of 1,322 new jobs. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)/loans approved include: City of Lexington (Davidson County): $750,000 loan to Masterbrand Cabinets to support the reuse of a vacant industrial building located at the Sapona Business Park. The company will invest $8 million in the renovation and new equipment and has committed to creating 38 new jobs. City …
Henderson Police Department Recognizes Officer Ashton Mitchell for Officer of the Month
Chief Marcus W. Barrow of the Henderson Police Department is pleased to recognize Officer Ashton Mitchell as the Officer of the Month for May, 2015. The Officer of the Month recognition is a departmental award which is given to officers and Sergeants nominated by agency commanders for performance during the previous month which exceed the normal duties of a Henderson Police Department officer. On May 17, 2015 officers were dispatched to the area of Rockspring Street and Highland Avenue in …
NC Quick Pass Performing Maintenance Over Weekend
RALEIGH –Customer services for NC Quick Pass will be unavailable as maintenance is performed on the database system from midnight on Friday, June 26 through 9 p.m. Sunday, June 27. The Customer Service Center in Morrisville will also be closed, the myncquickpass.com website will be unavailable and the Interactive Voice Response system customers use to pay bills over the phone will also be unavailable during that time. This work is part of the N.C. Department of Transportation’s continued focus on enhancing customer service and …
Town of Warrenton Receives Money from Main Street Solutions Fund
Raleigh, N.C. – North Carolina Commerce announced today that the Town of Warrenton has been awarded up to $50,000 from the Main Street Solutions Fund. “The North Carolina Main Street Center continues to be a great way to provide assistance to revitalize communities throughout the state,” said Commerce Secretary John E. Skvarla, III. “We are pleased to not only preserve historic buildings in Warrenton but also to help create new jobs.” “The project in Warrenton expands an existing quilting shop …
Wednesday Open Line
In the past, hot summer days meant that some enterprising youngsters in the neighborhood would set up a lemonade stand or the family would share a pitcher of iced tea on the front porch to cool off. In recent times, we usually resort to something in a bottle or can to slake our thirst year-round. Today, the drink of choice is often a soft drink, usually carbonated. As a result, fizzy soft drink manufacturing is a $37 billion a year …
Detours Planned as Road Work Continues on Rolesville Bypass Project
Raleigh- As progress continues on the U.S.401 Rolesville Bypass project, NCDOT contractors have two closures planned, both starting this weekend, weather permitting. The first closure is scheduled to last 12 hours and will begin Saturday, June 27, at 10 p.m. Contractors plan to close a section of U.S. 401 between just north of Louisbury Road and Forestville Road. The road should re-open Sunday morning by 10 a.m. Motorists can follow a signed detour route along Forestville Road, Mitchell Mill Road and …
Henderson City Council Upcoming Committee Meetings
Boards and Commissions Committee The Henderson City Council’s Boards and Commission Committee will meet Tuesday, June 23 at 4:00 p.m. in the Large Conference Room at City Hall. The purpose of the meeting to consider appointments to various boards and commissions. Land Planning Committee The Henderson City Council’s Land Planning Committee will meet on Wednesday, June 24 at 1:30 p.m. in the Large Conference Room at City Hall, 134 Rose Avenue. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss Downtown …
Butterfield’s Guide to Summer Preparedness
The summer is usually a time for fun and family. However, it is also a time for caution due to extreme temperatures. Included in this e-newsletter is a guide to help your family stay safe in hot weather Avoiding Heat Dangers When dealing with summer weather, the best defense is prevention. Here are some prevention tips: Drink more fluids (nonalcoholic), regardless of your activity level. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink. Warning: If your doctor generally limits the amount …
NC Cooperative Extension Master Gardener Volunteer Training Begins Late July
Cooperative Extension in Vance and Warren Counties announces that the biennial Master Gardener Training Class will begin on July 28th. Participants will learn all they need to know to join this pre-eminent volunteer program. Prospective volunteers will receive 40 hours of instruction in all aspects of horticulture, including trees, lawns, flowers, vegetables, fruits, pest management and much more. Upon successful completion, participants are then required to provide 40 hours of volunteer service on community projects. Past projects have included demonstration …
Tuesday Open Line
On this date in 1868, Christopher Sholes of Milwaukee, Wisconsin received a patent for the first practical typewriter. Produced in 1873, the Sholes machine even coined the term “type-writer.” It also featured today’s familiar but awkward placement of keys. The arrangement was specifically designed to slow down typing by widely spreading the most common letters, in the hope of preventing the keys from jamming. In the middle of the last century, about a quarter of all high school students were …
Congresswoman Renee Ellmers: Repealing an Obamacare Tax
Photo of the Week: On Wednesday, I met with rising juniors and seniors who were touring Washington D.C. as part of the North Carolina Electric Cooperatives’ Youth Tour. These students were selected for their academic, civic and leadership excellence! Weekly Update: This week began with my attendance at two very important subcommittee hearings. The Energy & Power Subcommittee held a hearing on the EPA’s proposed ozone rule and the potential impact this would have on manufacturing. These proposed …
White House Weekly Address: Creating New Pathways of Opportunity for Americans Like You
In this week’s address, the President spoke to his priority of growing the economy and opening new avenues of opportunity for hardworking Americans. While the United States has already made economic progress, with more than 12 million new private-sector jobs created over the past five years, there’s still more to be done. That’s why the President has continued to press for strong, high-standard trade agreements that are good for American workers and good for American businesses. And it’s why his …
Monday Open Line
One man’s devotion to classical music led to a major advance in the music recording industry. Dr. Peter Goldmark of CBS Labs was fed up with the frequent record disc flips and swaps required to play a symphony in the then-current 78 rpm format, which held only three to five minutes per side. So he developed the 33 1/3 rpm long-playing record — first shown to the public this week in 1948, and the standard for decades to follow. A …
Vance County Schools – Bus Driver Training Sessions
Vance County Schools will be hosting school bus driver training sessions Monday, July 6 2015, through Wednesday, July 8 2015, at L.B. Yancey Elementary School. Interested persons must attend the training on all three days to receive certification. The training sessions will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at approximately 3 p.m. each day. Those interested in participating in the training sessions must register prior to the sessions with the school system’s Transportation Department, located at 226 Welcome Avenue off …
Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery (VC BoC June 19th, 2015)
Our Board of Commissioners held a Special Called Meeting this morning. A week ago the only purpose for the meeting was to hold a closed door discussion on a personnel matter. Yesterday approval of the Justice Assistance Grant was formally added to the agenda. This morning a last minute item was added to the agenda. In about ten minutes the commissioners approved the Justice Assistance Grant and Rebuilding Hope’s request to waive construction and permit fees. This justice grant is …
City of Henderson City Council Meeting Monday June 22nd, 2015
Henderson City Council Short Regular Meeting Monday 22 June 2015, 6:00 p.m. R. G. (Chick) Young, Jr. Council Chambers, Municipal Building 134 Rose Avenue Henderson, North Carolina Download the full agenda packet here: 20150622_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 …