WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman G. K. Butterfield (NC-01) will present a $6 million check to the Roanoke Electric Cooperative made available through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Rural Development Electric Program during a check presentation ceremony at 11:30 a.m. on Friday, October 24, 2014 at the Roanoke Electric Cooperative Headquarters, 518 NC Highway 561, Aulander, N.C. The check represents a USDA Electric Guaranteed Loan to Roanoke Electric Cooperative to implement a pilot project that provides energy efficiency retrofits to …
VGCC President back in the Classroom
As president of Vance-Granville Community College, Dr. Stelfanie Williams juggles multiple responsibilities. For the fall 2014 semester, she added another one: teaching a class of 25 College Transfer students. The president recently completed her first stint as an adjunct instructor at VGCC. Williams taught an eight-week, one-credit-hour “College Transfer Success” course on the college’s Main Campus. Like many VGCC courses, it was a “hybrid” class, meaning that in addition to meeting in the classroom once each week, students also completed …
Friday / Weekend Open Lines
One of the nation’s most successful brand names went on sale for the first time this month in 1913–Camel cigarettes, the first pre-blended, packaged cigarettes. While machine-rolled cigarettes had been around since 1881, Camel was the first brand to become nationally popular. Coincidentally, Camels pioneered the now almost universal 20-cigarette pack. By 1919, with increasing advertising and product availability, cigarettes overtook pipe tobacco in the number of pounds consumed. Shortly after World War II, about 45 percent of Americans smoked. …
VGCC Drama students present “Waiting for Godot”
Vance-Granville Community College Drama students will present a production of the Samuel Beckett classic, “Waiting for Godot,” on campus, Nov. 6-9. Performances begin on Thursday, Nov. 6, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, Nov. 7, at 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Nov. 8, at 2 p.m. and at 7:30 p.m.; and on Sunday, Nov. 9, at 2 p.m. All performances are in the small auditorium in Building 2 on the college’s Main Campus in Henderson. The play centers on two wandering tramps, Vladimir and …
NC Cooperative Extension Updates
AG BUSINESS CLASS – DON’T MISS THIS! SPACE STILL AVAILABLE Are you considering a new farm enterprise? Want to figure out how to better manage an existing one? Then this class is for you! In seven classes, you will learn the basics of business planning, marketing, operations, financials and business proposals, with a focus on agricultural enterprises. This is offered by Vance-Granville Community College at the Vance County Regional Farmers Market, with the first class scheduled for Oct 28, 6 …
North Carolina Weekend
For the week of Oct. 23 on North Carolina Weekend, “Collecting Carolina” visits the Village of Yesteryear at the N.C. State Fair in Raleigh. Check out the “Small Treasures: Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals and Their Contemporaries” exhibit at the N.C. Museum of Art in Raleigh. Enjoy the many activities offered at the Neuseway Nature Park in Kinston. Bull City Homebrew in Durham has all the supplies needed for the homebrewer. And the “House Special” samples the fare at Sweetie Pie’s Cupcakery …
VGCC Criminal Justice Students complete service projects
Criminal Justice Technology students at Vance-Granville Community College are in training to serve the public, and they recently got a head start with a pair of service projects that involve giving back to their communities. First, students in the Criminal Justice Club continued their longstanding tradition of picking up trash along the whole length of the club’s adopted road, Poplar Creek Road, near the college’s Main Campus on Interstate 85 in Vance County. In a separate project, club members collected, …
The Tar River Center for History and Culture Will Continue its 2014-2015 Lecture Series with Dr. I Randolph Daniel Nov. 6
LOUISBURG, N.C.—The Tar River Center for History and Culture is proud to announce its 2014-2015 Lecture Series, focusing on “The Early Development of the Tar River Valley of North Carolina.” Lectures are held Thursday evenings, beginning at 7:30 p.m. in the Benson Chapel of Louisburg College. All are free and open to the public. Parking is available in front of the chapel and adjacent to the Jones Performing Arts Center (both parking areas are accessible from College Street, Louisburg). For …
Thursday Open Line
Everyone is a potential crime victim, and October is when government agencies, civic groups, schools, businesses, and youth organizations join in trying to reduce the threat. This is National Crime Prevention Month, with special awareness and education events planned across the country. During this time, we are all encouraged to help reduce violence, drugs and property crimes with efforts at three levels — family, neighborhood and community. Suggestions include setting up a neighborhood watch program, making sure streets and individual …
N.C. Main Street Center Posts Impressive Stats in FY 2013-14
North Carolina Commerce Secretary Sharon Decker announced October 9 that the N.C. Main Street Center has posted impressive 2013-2014 statistics for the 58 designated Main Street and 45 designated Small Town Main Street communities that are active in the two programs. The Main Street communities reported: $88.7 million in downtown public and private investment 832 new jobs 169 new businesses 273 building renovations 273 facade improvements 86,810 volunteer hours “Main Streets are the core of small towns across North Carolina, …
Wednesday Open Line
“10 – 22 – 38 Astoria.” That cryptic sequence indicating date and place was the very first photocopied image, created on this date in 1938 in Astoria, New York. A man named Chester Carlson developed a method of making dry copies of documents on plain paper, known as xerography — which we take for granted in using photocopiers today. Before his invention, copies were made either by using carbon paper when typing or by a mimeograph machine for large numbers …
Middle and High School News October 20-24, 2014
VANCE COUNTY SCHOOLS WEEKLY SCHOOL NEWS Volume 3, Issue 10 A Publication for Middle and High Schools October 20-24, 2014 The MISSION of Vance County Schools is to be committed to educating all students to prepare them for lifelong learning and productive citizenship. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS Flu vaccines will be administered to all interested school system employees and retirees from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 21, in the …
Hours of operation will be posted at DuPont State Recreational Forest starting Nov. 2
CEDAR MOUNTAIN – DuPont State Recreational Forest staff will be instituting hours of operation on Nov. 2. The forest will be open from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Hours will be posted at each of the DSRF access areas: High Falls, Hooker Falls, Corn Mill Shoals, Fawn Lake, Lake Imaging and Guion Farm. Only forest employees and authorized persons will be allowed within the forest between closing and opening hours except under permit. DSRF will offer permits for legitimate …
Elementary School News October 20-24, 2014
VANCE COUNTY SCHOOLS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL NEWS Volume 2 Issue 10 October 20-24, 2014 The MISSION of Vance County Schools is to be committed to educating all students to prepare them for lifelong learning and productive citizenship. IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENTS Flu vaccines will be administered to all interested school system employees and retirees from 1:30 to 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Board Room of the Administrative Services Center. Those participating should …
Tuesday Open Line
An invention was demonstrated on this date in 1879 that lit the way for a dramatic change in the rhythm of Americans’ daily lives. At his Menlo Park, New Jersey laboratory, Thomas Edison set up the first incandescent light bulb, which burned for almost 14 hours. Within a few years, some cities had installed electric streetlights. The number of homes across the U.S. with electricity grew steadily, but even in 1940, more than one-in-five houses was without power. Today, there …
NC strawberry referendum to be held during Southeast Strawberry Expo in November
RALEIGH — North Carolina strawberry growers will hold a referendum to decide whether to increase the current strawberry assessment during the Southeast Strawberry Expo in Pinehurst Nov. 17-19. Started in 1989, the strawberry assessment is used to advance strawberry research and marketing to improve the industry. Dexter Hill, strawberry marketing specialist with the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, says the funds are vital to research in the region. “Funds collected through this assessment go directly to research and …
Vance County Board of Education Retreat October 22, 2014
The Vance County Board of Education Retreat October 22, 2014 at the Satterwhite Point Glass House. Download the agenda here: 20141022_vcboe_retreat_agenda
Vance County’s HR Committee to meet Monday, October 27, 2014
Vance County’s HR Committee is scheduled to meet Monday, October 27 at 12:00 noon to discuss the county manager search process.
Handcrafted Holiday Market presented by the Vance County Regional Farmers Market November 22, 2014
The Vance County Regional Farmers Market will be hosting it’s inaugural Handcrafted Holiday Market, November 22nd from 8:00am to 3:00pm. Artisans & Crafters who are interested in having a booth are asked to please contact Tracy Madigan at (252)598-0814 or farmersmarket@vancecounty.org for an application.
Jr. Livestock Sale of Champions brings in $167,700
RALEIGH – The junior livestock grand and reserve grand champion steers, barrows, lambs, goats and turkeys were auctioned in the Sale of Champions on Saturday at the N.C. State Fair. Bidders paid a total of $167,700 for the top animals, the highest auction total ever. “The State Fair’s livestock shows highlight some of the best animals and brightest kids in North Carolina,” said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler. “The sponsors of this event recognize that our youth exhibitors are the future …