For the vast majority of public school students, Monday was the first day of a brand new school year. One change students, parents and teachers will notice is that some classrooms will be a little more crowded. For the first time, North Carolina’s student enrollment is projected to exceed 1.5 million students. The North Carolina Department of Public Instruction projects an additional 17,192 students will attend the state’s public schools this year. Due to increases in teacher/student ratios, students and …
Category: News
New Laws for NC Public Charter Schools
New Laws for Public Charter Schools (adapted in part from information provided by NC Alliance for Public Charter Schools & directly from SB 337) From the office of Senator Angela Bryant: SB 337, signed by Governor McCrory on July 25, officially became law on August 1st. The property tax portion of the bill became effective July 1, 2013. A basic summary of the new law and the ratified version of the bill is below: Advisory Board: The primary intent …
Attorney General Roy Cooper: Don’t fall for latest corporate records scam
If you own or work for a business, don’t respond to an official looking mailing from a group called Corporate Records Service. Businesses across the state have reported getting the letter, which asks you to fill out an annual corporate records form and send $125 to an address in Raleigh by September 4. The letter includes references to state law on corporate records, which is enforced by the North Carolina Secretary of State. But the Secretary of State’s Office does …
City of Henderson City Council Meeting Monday, August 26th, 2013
Henderson City Council Short Regular Meeting Monday, 26 August 2013, 6:00 p.m. R. G. (Chick) Young, Jr. Council Chambers, Municipal Building 134 Rose Avenue Henderson, North Carolina 20130826_coh_agenda_packet I. CALL TO ORDERII. ROLL CALLIII. INVOCATION AND PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCEIV. OPENING REMARKSV. ADJUSTMENTS TO AND/OR APPROVAL OF THE AGENDAIn 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 …
Fire Prevention Open House, Thursday October 10th, 2013
The Henderson Fire Department would like to invite you to their Fire Prevention Open House on Thursday, October 10th, from 5PM unitl 8PM at Station #1 located at 211 Dabney Drive. Agencies and businesses are invited to set up at at table (table and chairs will be provided) to provide information about your information to the community. They will be serving free pizza and drinks. Bring your families and friends and join them for a night of fun! For those …
Louisburg College Seeks Local Job Shadowing Opportunities
LOUISBURG, N.C.—As students embark on the new school year, Louisburg College is seeking community hosts willing to share their professional expertise through occasional visits from sophomore students, as part of the College’s Great Futures Job Shadowing program. “Choosing a career path is an important decision for anyone, especially for college students on their way to the ‘real world,’” says program coordinator Marla Peoples. “As many of us know, though, sometimes the way a job appears on the outside is a …
VGCC schedules Tea class to start in September
Vance-Granville Community College will offer a course on “Afternoon Tea,” the tradition that is enjoying a renaissance as fine hotels, inns and tea rooms across the country give guests an opportunity to retreat from the hurried pace of their lives. The course, called “Let’s Have a Tea Party,” will meet on VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County, on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1 until 4 p.m., starting Sept. 24. The final class and “graduation” ceremony is an actual afternoon tea …
VGCC to offer Anatomy & Physiology prep course
Vance-Granville Community College will soon offer a “boot camp” that students can take to prepare for the VGCC Anatomy & Physiology (or “A&P”) course. The two-day A&P Boot Camp will be held on Friday, Sept. 13 and Saturday, Sept. 14, each day from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. (including a one-hour break for lunch) in room 5212 on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Students who participate will have a chance to practice skills in note-taking, reading comprehension and …
Farmers should have corn tested for aflatoxin
RALEIGH — Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler is encouraging farmers to have their corn tested for aflatoxin to prevent contamination of feeds and food. Aflatoxin is a byproduct of the mold Aspergillus flavus, and can be harmful to both humans and livestock. “Because of our climate in North Carolina, there’s always the potential for aflatoxin to appear,” Troxler said. “Farmers should take advantage of our testing service to protect feed and food against this mold.” Some farmers may need to have …
Money-saving tips offered at VGCC Coupon class
An upcoming Vance-Granville Community College workshop will help savvy shoppers cut costs while buying groceries and other essentials. A “Couponing” class is scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 12 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at VGCC’s Main Campus in Vance County, and will be repeated on Thursday, Sept. 19 from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m. at VGCC’s Franklin County Campus near Louisburg. Jennifer Honeycutt of Henderson will serve as instructor for both classes, and will teach participants the basics of how …
VGCC offers Stained Glass class for beginners
Vance-Granville Community College’s Franklin County Campus will offer a “Beginner’s Stained Glass” course on Mondays from 6 p.m. until 9 p.m., Sept. 12 through Oct. 10. Felecia Carr Young of Wake Forest is the instructor for the course, which is among the newest additions to the personal enrichment/continuing education programs offered at the campus. “One of the best birthday gifts I ever received was the stained glass class I took nearly 15 years ago,” Young said. “Before long, I started …
VGCC offers Zumba classes at Main Campus
Vance-Granville Community College is offering a Zumba fitness course on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. The course will meet on Tuesdays from 5:30 until 6:30 p.m., Sept. 3 through Sept. 24. The total cost for the four classes is $20 (all fees included). Zumba is the Latin-inspired dance-fitness program that has quickly become popular throughout the region and around the world. Leah Englebright, a licensed Zumba instructor from Oxford, will lead the classes. Englebright said that she enjoys …
Millions of uninsured Americans will get coverage. Are you one of them?
On October 1, millions of uninsured Americans will start applying for coverage in the Health Insurance Marketplace and will be on their way to living happier, healthier lives. You could be one of them. Take your first step to getting quality, affordable health insurance and improving your life and the lives of your family—create your Marketplace account today! If you’ve already created your account, answer a few quick questions to see if you qualify for lower costs on coverage. Find …
Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Orange & Wake counties partner to launch TriangleGrown
The DMOs of Chatham, Durham, Johnston, Orange and Wake counties have teamed up to launch TriangleGrown, a website showcasing the area’s agriculturally based features that are visitor friendly – part of the growing national trend known as agritourism. The site helps make visiting farms and food producers easier, according to the Durham CVB. The website offers information such as Places to Go, Events and Itineraries. Many of the businesses featured have a strong commitment to using locally produced foods, which …
NC’s 2013 ACT Score Reflects 100 Percent Participation
ACT Inc. today released state and national average college admission test scores for the 2013 Graduating Class, including North Carolina’s first average scores since the state began requiring 100 percent of high school juniors to take the college admission test. North Carolina is one of only nine states in the nation that tests 100 percent of its students. The ACT was selected as the state’s new college readiness measure for high schools because it measures science as well as mathematics, …
Henderson City Council candidates Forum Set September 22nd, 2013
Leaders of the Henderson-Vance Chamber of Commerce, radio station WIZS-1450 AM and The Dispatch have announced a Henderson City Council candidate’s forum. The candidates will appear before the public on a live radio broadcast at 4:30 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, Sept. 22. The forum will be held in the county commissioners’ room at the Vance County Administrative Building, 122 Young Street, in Henderson. A preliminary survey of all eight candidates for the four council seats indicates 100 percent participation. The …
Home Base Rolls Out, Putting Technology Tools in Schools across North Carolina
The NC Department of Public Instruction (NCDPI), working with vendor partners Pearson, Public Consulting Group and Truenorthlogic, has rolled out Home Base for the 2013-14 kick-off year, delivering this large-scale technology project for public schools on time and within budget. Home Base provides digital tools and learning resources for local educators, students and parents at all schools in the 115 local school districts and public charter schools in North Carolina. State funds and federal Race to the Top (RttT) grant …
NC Cooperative Extension Gardening Updates
DO YOUR PART TO PROTECT BEES We all depend on bees to pollinate the crops that feed us, and we all need to do our part to protect them. There are many reasons to READ THE LABEL before using ANY pesticide, but one good reason is to look for precautions about bees. Many insecticides, for example, should NOT be applied when plants are in bloom to prevent accidental bee poisonings. One area beekeeper reports that they lost an ENTIRE hive …
Vance County Schools Open House and Orientations
Vance County Schools will host open house sessions for all students and parents on Thursday, August 22, from 3 to 7 p.m. Students and parents are encouraged to attend the open house session at their school to receive valuable information about the new school year and to meet their teachers and school administrators. The Early High School STEM program at Northern Vance High School will not host an open house on Thursday. Sixth and seventh graders who will attend the …
Vance County Water District Board’s Planning Committee Meeting Time Change
The Water District Board’s Planning Committee Meeting for tomorrow (Wednesday) at 4:00 p.m. has been changed to 11:15 a.m. The location will remain the same in the County Manager’s Office.