Henderson and Kerr Lake Area Concerned Citizens are meeting on Monday, February 9th, 2015 from 5:30 – 7:30 pm at the Perry Memorial Library in Henderson in response to an alarming announcement that Henderson residents recently received with their water bills. “NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC:” “IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER. Henderson – Kerr Lake Regional Water System Has Levels of Total Trihalomethanes (TTHMs) Above Drinking Water Standards. You may download a full copy of the letter here: 20150105_henderson_water.pdf The …
Senator Richard Burr: Keystone Pipeline, Innovation for Healthier Americans, No Child Left Behind
This week the Senate passed, 62-36, the Keystone XL pipeline legislation. I am proud that this job-creating legislation passed the Senate in a bipartisan manner that allowed for lengthy debate and votes on many amendments. This is how the Senate should run. It is my hope that the President does not ignore the wishes of the majority of Americans and signs this bill into law when it reaches his desk. During the amendment process, I introduced an amendment to permanently …
White House Weekly Address: A Path Towards a Thriving Middle Class
In this week’s address, the President described the progress our economy has made, laying a foundation for a future that prioritizes middle-class economics. This week, the President will send a budget to Congress centered on the idea that everyone who works hard should have the chance to get ahead. His plan will reverse harmful sequestration cuts and instead make paychecks go further, create good jobs here in the United States, and prepare hardworking Americans to earn higher wages. The President …
Monday Open Line
On this date in 1848, the United States and a defeated Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, ending their controversial war, which began in May 1846 after some mutual provocations. In the peace treaty, Mexico recognized America’s annexation of the Republic of Texas, with the Rio Grande being the border. In exchange for $15 million and other provisions, the U.S. obtained all or much of what are now six of our other southwestern states. Some 80,000 Mexicans were thereby …
VGCC welcomes Wright back to Board of Trustees, gets grants update
Vance-Granville Community College’s Board of Trustees welcomed home a familiar face at its bi-monthly meeting on Monday, Jan. 26, and received an update on grants received in 2014. Danny W. Wright of Henderson was sworn in by District Court Judge J. Henry Banks to the seat previously held by Vance County Schools Superintendent Ronald E. Gregory. Wright, appointed by the Vance County Board of Commissioners, will fill the unexpired term through 2018. Gregory had served since March 2007, when …
VGCC Main Campus hosts two Small Business Seminars
The Vance-Granville Community College Small Business Center has scheduled a pair of free seminars for Thursday, Feb. 12, at the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Both are presented by Mike Collins, a motivational speaker and president of The Perfect Workday Company in Raleigh, who has led numerous seminars and workshops at VGCC in the past. The first seminar, “Getting It All Done: Time Management for Small Business Owners,” will be held from 9 a.m. until noon in room 7107 …
Summer Nutrition Programs Help Meet Critical Need for Students
Last year in North Carolina, 826,000 students were eligible to receive free or reduced priced meals at school through the National School Lunch Program. Of that number, a mere 140,854 received meals during the summer months through the Summer Nutrition Programs. In other words, 83 percent of economically disadvantaged, school-age children may have experienced hunger during the summer months. State Superintendent June Atkinson said, “Summer break should be an enjoyable time for students. Unfortunately, that may not be the case …
Discounts on High School Equivalency tests, practice tests available at VGCC
Through Feb. 28, local adults can save $5 on a High School Equivalency (HSE) practice test or $10 on their first official test at Vance-Granville Community College, thanks to new special offers from the national GED Testing Service. Adults studying for the GED test can take the official “GED Ready” practice test for $1 rather than the typical $6. The practice test helps students determine if they are ready to pass the GED test, and the particular skills they need …
VGCC invites high school seniors to FAFSA Day February 28th 2015
Registration is now open for FAFSA Day 2015, a statewide event that will be hosted locally on the Main Campus of Vance-Granville Community College on Saturday, Feb. 28, from approximately 9 a.m. until noon. VGCC will hold FAFSA Day on the third floor of building 7 on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Registration in advance is strongly encouraged. Students can register by visiting financialaid.vgcc.edu and clicking on the FAFSA Day logo. On FAFSA Day, college financial aid officers …
Vance County Board of Commissioners Work Session February 11th, 2015
Per the planning retreat held Wednesday, the Board will hold a work session on Wednesday, February 11 at 9:00 a.m. to discuss goal setting and also give the staff direction on the budget. This will be held in the Commissioners’ Meeting Room.
Vance County Board of Commissioners Meeting February 2nd, 2015
Vance County Board of Commissioners Meeting February 2nd, 2015 Full agenda packet may be viewed here: 20150202_vcboc_agenda_packet.pdf Invocation Rev. Mary Anderson, Associate PastorShiloh Baptist Church 1. Appointment 6:00 p.m. Special RecognitionRock Bridge Cemetery Preservation, Inc.. 2. Public Hearing 6:15 p.m. Frankie Nobles, Animal Control ChiefAnimal Control Ordinance Amendment 3. Public Hearing 6:45 p.m. Diane Cox, Council of GovernmentsCDBG Closeout 4. Public Comments (for those registered to speak by 5:45 p.m. – each speaker is limited to five minutes) 5. Water …
STEM Early High School Application Process Begins
The application process for rising sixth graders to enter the STEM Early High School for the 2015-2016 school year has officially begun. The STEM Early High School is part of Vance County Schools. The school serves students in grades 6-8 and is located on the campus of Northern Vance High School. The STEM school focuses on science, technology, engineering and math instruction. Small classroom settings enable students to work in teams to use STEM strategies for project based learning. Students …
Friday / Weekend Open Lines
Modern American election cycles engage campaign managers in almost all levels of political races. The man usually credited with being America’s first campaign director, John James Beckley, operated decades before the advent of the news cycle and social media. He directed campaigns on behalf of the Democratic-Republicans in the late 18th century. After Thomas Jefferson won the presidency in 1800, the Library of Congress was founded. Beckley was appointed the first librarian of that world-renowned institution this week in 1802. …
Audio: Henderson City Council Meeting January 26th, 2015
[jwplayer mediaid=”63715″] Listen to the audio here. First part of the meeting is cut off due to excessive noise in recording.
Michael Bobbitt: Home in Henderson Presentation to the Vance County Board of Commissioners
Editors Note: This is a copy of the presentation presented to the Vance County Board of Commissioners during their Annual Retreat January 28th, 2015. I (Phil Hart) will write more about this hopefully this weekend. An excerpt from the presentation is below, and the full presentation download link is provided at the end. My name is Michael Bobbitt. Chairman Taylor invited me to make a data driven presentation to you, the Board of Commissioners, on what I perceive as the …
VGCC to host Gospel Celebration on Feb. 12
In honor of Black History Month, Vance-Granville Community College will hold a “Celebration of Gospel” on Thursday, February 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the Civic Center on the college’s Main Campus in Vance County. Admission is free and the public is invited. Among the entertainers and groups set to perform during the program are the North Carolina Central University Worship and Praise Inspirational Mass Choir; God’s Men of Harmony; the White Rock Missionary Baptist Church Liturgical Dance Ministry and “Divine …
Reps. Guthrie, Butterfield, Young & Kind Reintroduce Bill to Increase Access to Health Care in Underserved Areas
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman Brett Guthrie (R-KY), Congressman G.K. Butterfield (D-NC), Congressman Todd Young (R-IN), and Congressman Ron Kind (D-WI) joined together to introduce H.R. 592, which will allow Medicare to reimburse pharmacists in medically underserved communities for certain health care services. The bipartisan legislation, the Pharmacy and Medically Underserved Areas Enhancement Act, was supported by 123 bipartisan cosponsors during the 113th Congress. “Whether it’s to inquire about medication, potential side effects, or discussing other ailments and complications, many …
Hut Wester endows VGCC Scholarship in wife’s memory
Hutson “Hut” Wester of Henderson recently endowed a new Vance-Granville Community College scholarship in memory of his late wife, Virginia L. Wester. A longtime supporter of the VGCC Endowment Fund, Mr. Wester has previously endowed two Hutson Wester Insurance scholarships at the college. Now retired from Wester Insurance Agency, he also taught continuing education classes on insurance at VGCC for several years. In awarding the Virginia L. Wester Academic Achievement Scholarship, preference will be given to students who are planning …
Vance County Schools – Information on Upcoming Release of School Performance Grades
Within the next two weeks, the N.C. Department of Public Instruction will be releasing student and school performance information for the 2013-2014 school year. The information is based on state end-of-grade and end-of-course results for students in grades 3-12 for last school year. For the first time, the results will include five different levels of proficiency for students in the tested subject areas. The levels are designed to measure each student’s command of the subject materials and they include: Level …
North Carolina Weekend
For the week of Jan. 29 on North Carolina Weekend, take a trip to the Cook Shack in Union Grove. Explore the New Winston Museum in Winston-Salem. Enjoy the great outdoors at Hunting Creek Preserves in Harmony. Tempt your taste buds at Fiddles Pub in Elkin. And relax at Shutters on the Banks in Kill Devil Hills. (Please note: Listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. In addition, UNC-TV has made recent editions of North Carolina Weekend available …