Category: Open Lines

Today won’t be so bad, with a projected high of around 52, but yesterday… cold.  A few steps away from our office sits Emrose Park, an area between the downtown buildings that even on 20 degree weather days fills with workers from the local businesses taking a break.  Yesterday, the focal piece running water fountain was actually frozen with a pretty cool design.  Check our pics.   Defying Republican lawmakers, President Barack Obama on Wednesday barreled by the Senate and …

A new report released by a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that wants corporate incentives to be more accountable and effective ranks North Carolina’s incentives program second in the nation in terms of accountability and job-creation effectiveness.  In four of five programs North Carolina officials have inserted job?related performance requirements, requirements that employers do not shift workers from existing facilities and that they keep subsidized facilities in operation for a minimum period, wage standards that for two programs are linked to market …

Welcome to 2012 everyone.  How many people have New Years Resolutions?  If you were Vance County or Henderson, what would be your New Years Resolution?  What if you were the city council or board of commissioners?  Police Chief, Sheriff, Economic Developer?  What do you think the area should accomplish this year?  How has it worked out so far? In the Weekly Address, the last one of 2011, President Obama tells the American people that, by joining together, we can move …

While at lunch Thursday at Pino’s I saw on the TV a scene from a helicopter showing a possible shooting in Henderson.  However, we still have yet to receive a press release from the sherriff’s office.  But this is the information from WRAL’s posted article. When deputies arrived at 586 S. Lynnbank Road, they found a man lying in the yard. Michael Anthony Henderson Jr., 19, had been shot in the chest with a shotgun, deputies said. He was taken …

Henderson made state news with this article on WRAL about the death of Quentin Yarborough, whose body was found in a field off Old County Home Road. Quentin Yarborough was schizophrenic, according to his parents, and the North Carolina Center for Missing Persons issued a Silver Alert on him six days after his disappearance. The Vance County Sheriff’s Office is treating the case as an unexplained death, noting that the medical examiner couldn’t determine a cause of death and investigators …

Eight-month-old Cooper Wagner grabs President Barack Obama’s face while taking a picture with his parents, Captain Greg Wagner and Meredith Wagner, at Marine Corps Base Hawaii in Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Sunday, Dec. 25, 2011. The President and First Lady Michelle Obama visited with members of the military and their families during Christmas dinner at Anderson Hall. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)   Prudence mentioned Tuesday the cost of the Hawaii vacation by the President and family to the …

Welcome back from the holiday weekend, we hope that everyone had a great one.  For the weekly address, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama offer a special holiday tribute to the men and women who wear our country’s uniform and the families who support them. The West Wing Week, a behind the scenes look at the administration for the past week is your guide to everything that’s happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. With the holidays in full swing and …

Our Christmas present to readers is a full video presentation of the lighting of the Henderson Christmas Tree.  It actually occurred on November 29th, 2011 but we’re posting it here now for our readers.  It’s aboot 45 minutes long.  Enjoy the presentation of the tree lighting, and numerous musical numbers from area churches.  View the video here A short term agreement was reached Thursday, and for 2 months into 2012 at least, your paycheck will continue to have an about …

In a press release we received today, we THOUGHT it said that Henderson landed a large company that was expanding, creating 51 new jobs and invest 11.5 million dollars… but it was instead Henderson County, not the City of Henderson.  Regardless, it’s good news for the state.  Governor Bev Perdue today announced that UPM Raflatac, a leading global supplier of pressure sensitive labelstock, will expand in Henderson County.  The company plans to create 51 jobs and invest $11.5 million during …

Tuesday, the Obama administration sent out a passionate message regarding extension of payroll tax cuts for 2012. We’ve been fighting for months to make sure taxes on the middle class don’t go up on January 1st. This weekend, Democrats and Republicans in the Senate came together, compromised, and took a giant step to avoid just that. In fact, 89 senators approved an extension of the payroll tax cut. And 39 of them were Republicans, including GOP Senate Leader Mitch McConnell. …

There’s been some discussion here regarding Occupy Wall Street protesters, and last week a group of 11 marchers passed through Henderson.  Some of the members have been marching from New York, but the march officially started in DC on December 1st.  They are marching to Atlanta Georgia.  I have pieced together a short timeline of their journey into and in Henderson in an article. The President said that Congress cannot go home without preventing a tax increase on 160 million …

This weeks Weekly Address President Obama expresses gratitude for the historic achievements of the brave men and women who have served in the war in Iraq — and welcomes our troops home as we mark the official end to the war. Welcome to the Monday Open Lines!

This is the last full weekend before Christmas, we hope you’re ready for the holidays.  If you still have more gifts, please take a look at our Holiday Shopping Guide. If your business would like to add your special please feel free to send us your discount and we’ll list your ad for no charge.  We have also received a great suggestion to ask for your Christmas decoration pictures, be they your own at home, your business, or one that …

President Obama traveled to Fort Bragg, North Carolina on Wednesday — home of the Airborne and Special Operations Forces — to salute the service of the soldiers, sailors, airmen, Coast Guardsmen, and Marines who fought in Iraq and helped to bring the war to an end. “As your commander in chief, and on behalf of a grateful nation, I’m proud to finally say these two words,” he said, “Welcome home.” He told the crowd assembled in a hanger on base: …

American troops have served in Iraq with honor and distinction since March 19, 2003, but the cost to our nation has been great. December 2011 marks the end of our mission in Iraq, and the fulfillment of a promise Barack Obama made to the American people even before he became President. Now, President Obama has made another promise to the troops and their families: We will fight as hard for them as they return home as they have done for …

Tonight may be your best night for viewing the year end meteor shower Geminid.  Normally providing about 50 meteors an hour, this year a bright moon will overpower most of the ‘shooting stars’.  But you can still take a glimpse outside, if you are up to the challenge, although word is you may only see one an hour considering the moons effect on it this year. If a flu pandemic strikes the United States, a Novartis plant in North Carolina …

President Obama calls on Congress to do what’s right for the American people by extending the payroll tax cut and confirming Richard Cordray to lead a new consumer-watchdog agency that will protect families from dishonest business practices. Friday, Gov. Bev Perdue and First Gentleman Bob Eaves hosted the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at the State Capitol in Raleigh.  The festivities began at 5 p.m. with musical performances by the Raleigh Boychoir and Raleigh Concert Band.  The governor and first gentleman …

Thursday morning, Senate Republicans blocked the confirmation of Richard Cordray. Shortly after, President Obama walked into the briefing room here at the White House to address that vote — and the refusal of Congress to extend the payroll tax cut. The President spoke first about his nominee to head the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: Consumers across the country understand that part of the reason we got into the financial mess that we did was because regulators were not doing their …

We have a story today regarding Vance County School teachers achieving National Board of Professional Teaching Standars certification.  Those educators earning the 10-year certification include: April Andrews, Janette Johnson, Cynthia Simpson and Mary Willis, all of Zeb Vance Elementary School; Chris Leas of E.O. Young Jr. Elementary School; Amanda O’Connor of E.M. Rollins Elementary School; and Ann Behar of Northern Vance High School. Here is Gov. Perdue’s statement on the 1,244 North Carolina teachers who earned National Board Certification. “National …

We’re starting to get reports in from the Monday night county commissioners meeting.  We’ve posted an article by our reporter already, and also an opinion piece by reader Michael Bobbitt.   More articles will follow later this week as well.  Mr. Garrisson has stepped up to the Chairman position at the Board of Commisioners, any thoughts or ideas for Terry on how to get the jobs to Vance County? Are there changes you’d like to see from under the old chairman …